


Stolen Sky

by CoraClavia



Category: Castle, Firefly
Genre: Beckolds, F/M, Kate and Mal, Mackett, crossover fic, mate, some things are universal, space humpa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 20:32:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 26,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5640964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoraClavia/pseuds/CoraClavia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This green-eyed woman took a bullet for Mal Reynolds before he ever learned her name: Kate Beckett becomes a character in the 'verse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set between the series Firefly and the movie Serenity. An exploration of what happens when we turn Kate Beckett into a character in the 'verse.
> 
> For Cartographical, who made me write this with her usual love, which is expressed almost wholly through loud, demanding capital letters, and who provided the working title, "firefly fic." And for daphnebeauty, who lovingly refers to it as "space humpa," which is also a more or less accurate moniker.

"You'd think we'd stop getting tangled up in other people's messes, Captain."

"Sorry to cut into your social life, Zoe." Mal twisted around the table they were ducked behind, fired a shot. He heard a yelp. Got one. So there was that. "Where the hell is Jayne, anyway? Ain't it your day to watch him?"

Zoe shrugged, sighting another shooter. "Not sure, sir. Listen for the loudest explosion."

They were huddled in a tavern, trying not to get pulverized in a firefight. This was supposed to be a meeting with a client. Apparently someone else had decided it was a good day to have a battle of grand proportions. Mal honestly had no idea what was going on.

"You know -" He fired another shot - "I am starting to feel downright unwelcome in this town. I intend to lodge a complaint."

"You do that, sir."

He caught a glimpse of the back door, across an open stretch of floor. A risk. But it might work. Wasn't too far. "Zoe. Door. You think we can get out?"

"Might be. Jayne's closer than us." Sure enough, Jayne was tucked behind an overturned pool table, blasting away gleefully. No surprise.

"Jayne!" No response. Mal grabbed an empty bottle and chucked it at him. Jayne looked up, bewildered.

"What? I'm shootin' here!"

"Glad you're having fun, but Zoe and I are fixing to _leave_ ," Mal yelled, pointing at the door. "Go!"

Jayne grumbled but hoisted Vera over his shoulder and bolted for the door, disappearing out into the street. Zoe turned to Mal. "Time for us, sir?"

"Ladies first."

Zoe flicked a glance around, caught a break in the incessant blasts, and ducked neatly outside. Mal took a last shot, for fun more than anything, and followed.

He half-dove out the door and found himself in the dirty, deserted alley. Well. It was a step up from getting shot at, at least.

Zoe grabbed his hand to pull him up. "Nice of you to join us, Captain."

Jayne scowled. "That place was just startin' to get lively."

" _Lively_ being another word for 'imminent death,'" Mal shot back. "All right. Let's go be somewhere that's not here."

They stepped out into the main street, where apparently no one was aware of the brawl inside the tavern. Fair enough. Mal holstered his gun and scanned the storefronts. "You think our client's anywhere around here? It'd be nice if we could get the job. You know. Get paid."

Before Zoe could answer, a woman's voice cut in. "I suggest you keep moving. This part of town isn't exactly the friendliest."

Mal turned around, hand instinctively going to his hip, to see a woman watching them, arms folded over her chest. Tall and slim and gorgeous and watching them like they were idiots.

Zoe set a hand on his arm. "Ease up sir, she ain't pulled a gun yet."

The woman rolled her eyes. "I'm not here to attack you. I'm just saying if you'd rather not get shot, try a few streets over."

"Uh - thank you?" Mal attempted warily.

"Don't thank me. Just go away. I've got things to do."

Mal huffed. Not really very polite. "And who the hell are you?"

She fixed him with a look of utter disdain.

"No one you need to be knowing."

And with that, she turned and strutted off, hair swirling around her shoulders.

Jayne whistled. "Now _that_ is a fine piece of ass."

"Never in a million years, Jayne," Zoe drawled. "Though it'd be pretty entertaining to watch you try."

"Aww, come on. Nice tight little body, just enough anger. The sex would be -"

"That's more than I care to hear, Jayne." Mal glared at him. "All right, let's - "

A hail of gunfire cut him off, a sudden burst of yelling from the tavern they just left. He heard _There they are_ and _Get 'em_ , and sure enough, there was a gaggle of pissed-off looking guys pointing guns at the three of them.

"What the _hell_ \- "

Before he could react, Mal was flat on the ground, the wind knocked out of him by the woman from the alley who'd just pushed him down out of the line of fire. Whoa. That was close

Jayne and Zoe grabbed the two of them quickly, yanking them through a nearby door into a quiet little hotel, where the guy behind the desk just stared and then ducked under his chair.

Mal flopped into a chair. "Did they follow us?"

"I don't think so, sir." Zoe peered through the curtains. "Looks like they've run right past. I think if we wait a bit, it'll quiet down."

"Guys, she ain't got time to wait. We gotta get out," Jayne hissed.

Mal looked over to where the woman was lying on the floor, unmoving. Blood was soaking through her shirt, streaming over the jacket she was wearing, rich, dark crimson seeping into the floor, leaving her frighteningly pale. He hadn't realized she was hit.

Mal knelt beside her, searching for something to stop the bleeding. "Jayne, give me your shirt. Zoe, find us a way back to the ship."

He wadded up the faded Blue Sun t-shirt and pressed down hard, the woman's blood slick and warm as it coated his fingers. Her face was still, her skin faintly grey. _Come on, come on_ \- her eyes didn't flicker, no movement, no twitch. Not a good sign.

* * *

They slipped out the hotel and ducked through backstreets, Mal and Zoe with pistols in hand, Jayne carrying the bleeding woman. Lucky they didn't meet anyone; they got to the outskirts and found the vehicle right where they'd left it.

They climbed in, laying her carefully in the back, and Mal pulled out his radio. "Wash, we're heading back. Meeting didn't quite go. We picked up a stray, too."

"Ooh, presents," Wash's voice crackled through the speaker. "And it's not even my birthday. Sweet of you, Captain."

"Don't get excited. Tell the doc to get his kit ready. She's a bloody one." He nodded to Zoe, who kicked up the engine, and they blazed off to Serenity, rattled, dusty, and with a nameless woman who saved his life.


	2. Chapter 2

Mal and his crew huddled outside the infirmary, trying to catch a clear glimpse of the woman as Simon worked over her, Zoe helping him.

"So she just appeared?" Kaylee breathed. "Just like that?"

"She did. Saved my life," he said quietly.

"So who is she?" Wash asked.

He shrugged. "No idea."

* * *

Eventually Zoe came out to update them. "Doc says she's gonna be fine. Got the bullet out, cleaned the wound. She'll need rest, but he thinks she'll heal right up."

"Well." Mal cleared his throat. "That's good."

Jayne piped up from his seat, where he was polishing Vera. "Ain't that sweet? Might be sweeter if we had the first clue as of _who she is_."

Mal looked back at Zoe, who just shrugged. "No ident card in her clothes, no other papers. You'll just have to wait till she wakes up, sir."

* * *

The next day, Mal had dozed off in his bunk when Simon called him over the radio. "She's awake, Captain, just for a bit. If you want to talk to her, hurry."

Mal got to the infirmary to find the mystery woman blinking dazedly. Her eyes were dazzling, some rich mix of green and brown and gold, and for a long second he forgot to do anything but just stare.

"Uh." Right. "I'm - I'm Captain Reynolds. You're on my ship. Doc's patched you up." He paused, but the woman just kept staring at him with those soft, liquid eyes. "You got a name?"

She swallowed. "Beckett." The word came out as little more than a whisper, and Simon hastily grabbed a cup of water, helping her sip a bit before she tried again. "Name's Beckett."

"Beckett." She nodded slowly, her eyes starting to flicker. Mal cut a quick glance at the doctor, who checked her pulse.

"She's fine. Just going back to sleep."

Mal looked back Beckett, who was fighting to stay awake but losing. Took a bullet for him a day before she properly met him. Confusing.

"Beckett?" She looked back up at him, her eyes almost shut, her breathing slowing. He swallowed hard. Had to at least be honest. "Thank you. For having my back out there."

She murmured something unintelligible and passed out with a long breath. Simon bustled around, checking her vital signs, and Mal took a long moment of just watching her, the paleness of her skin, the dark sweep of her eyelashes over delicate cheekbones, a faint, flickering beauty so out of place under the harsh lights of the infirmary that he finally had to look away.

* * *

The next time she woke up, she asked for a radio.

"Who do you want to call?" Mal folded his arms. She was more coherent, the soft liquidness of her eyes crystallized into mild irritation. Getting restless, then. She was impatient now.

"My boss. And it's 'whom,' not 'who.'" He glared at her. She glared right back , pale and wan but still managing to seriously damage his sense of dignity. "Get me a radio so I can tell him I'm alive. Stuck on whatever ship you say I'm on. Or maybe you'd rather just sit here and chat?"

"Who's your boss?"

"Roy Montgomery."

Mal blinked. "Montgomery? I know that name."

"I'm delighted for you. How about you let me actually talk to him now?"

* * *

He stepped outside the infirmary and met Zoe on the way to the bridge. "Well, sir?"

"Liked her better when she was unconscious."

Zoe shot him a look. "She saved your life, Mal."

"Yes. And I said thank you." Zoe twitched an eyebrow at him, and he pouted. "Hey. She's been sassing me. I don't take kindly to being sassed."

" _Sassing_ , sir? Heavens. How are you holding up?" Zoe deadpanned as the stepped into the cockpit.

Wash turned around in his chair, toy dinosaurs scattered across the console. "Someone's sassing the captain? Sounds like fun. Is it that hot woman?" He shot a look at Zoe and hastily tacked on "- who is clearly second best aboard this vessel?"

Mal glared at him. "Her name is Beckett."

"So Hot Beckett is sassing you?"

"You best rethink that nickname, husband."

Mal sighed, rubbing his neck. "She claimed she works for Roy Montgomery."

"Montgomery." Wash puzzled for a moment. "Name sounds kind of familiar."

"Landowner, one of the most powerful men around these parts," Mal nodded, folding his arms. "Never met him, but I hear him to be a good man."

"What's that?" Jayne yelled, poking his head into the bridge. "What's going on?"

"Beckett's talking to her boss, gonna go back to wherever she's from."

Jayne scowled. "Come on, Mal. She ain't even gotten a proper chance to ride The Jayne."

"Moving right past that delightful thought - " Mal started, but before he could finish, the ship's radio crackled to life. Wash looked down, tapping the controls.

"Uh, Captain, we've got an incoming message."

He pressed a button, and the screen in front of them flickered to life. Mal let out a breath. Well then. She must've been telling the truth. Because that man right there was most certainly Roy Montgomery. "This is Montgomery. Captain Malcom Reynolds?"

"Right here," Mal answered, folding his arms. "We heard you might be calling us."

"It seems you've got something of mine," the man chuckled. "I have to thank you for patching up Beckett."

"No problem. Our doctor says she needs a bit of time but she'll be good as new."

"Good to hear." Montgomery sat back in his chair. "And so you won't think I'm not properly grateful, I'd be more than happy to...reward you for your troubles."

"Well, isn't that nice," Mal grinned. He'd been worried about losing the job they came here to get, but maybe this could work out in his favor after all. Or at least they might break even. "I'd be happy to sit down and work out the details of just how grateful you want to be."

Montgomery chuckled. "Of course, of course. I'm traveling right now but I'll be back in two days. That okay for you?"

"Should be." Mal nodded. "I'll check with the doc about Beckett, but we need to refuel and make some repairs anyway."

"Sounds fine. Pleasure doing business with you, Captain."

* * *

Kaylee was half-buried in the engine, Jayne was checking the stores in the armory, Zoe and Wash were running diagnostics on the navigation system, Simon was running a full inventory of the medical supplies and trying to keep River from re-organizing his medicines alphabetically by which bird they made her think of, Shepherd Book was cleaning out the galley, and Mal was hoping his ship was still holding together.

He poked his head into the infirmary to find Simon digging through a cabinet, Beckett asleep, and River staring at her, curious. Beckett was looking better. Far better. Her color was back, a soft pink flush over her delicate cheekbones, her skin soft and smooth. Her hair swirled over her slim shoulders, rich and glossy chestnut brown, and even in the plain medical gown, she was so unbearably beautiful Mal was suddenly, irrationally glad her eyes were shut, because last time he had to look her in the eyes he almost forgot to look away.

"Doc, how's she doing?"

"Fine." Simon took a quick glance at her vitals. "No complications, no infection. She's lucky. She'll be fine to leave tomorrow."

"Sounds good." Mal cast a quick eye around the room, where everything seemed in order. Except - "What's that?"

He pointed to the counter, where there was a necklace lying. Simon picked it up, and Mal got a better look - it was a ring, a woman's ring, looked like, on a simple chain. "It's hers. It was around her neck when she came in. Her clothes were bloody and torn up, but Zoe saved this."

"Huh." Mal took the necklace, carefully turning over the ring. Small. Not fancy. "Doesn't look like there's any marking."

"It doesn't need one," River piped up.

Mal stopped, glancing back and forth at her and her brother. "What's that?"

River smiled, that strange, crooked smile, the one that looked like she was remembering something most people would never know. "Ring's for what's already gone. Unmarked grave, too."


	3. Chapter 3

When Beckett woke again and asked if she could get cleaned up, Simon got Zoe and Kaylee to help her shower.

The passenger dorm bathrooms had plenty of space, being designed for multiple people. So they walked her in carefully and helped her wash herself off, avoiding the tidy bandages Simon had applied to her wounds. She sat on the bench they dragged into the shower for her and tipped her head back, letting Kaylee wash her hair.

Zoe kept her mouth shut but noticed quite a bit. A tattoo on her hip, some kind of a bird, looked like. A very slight pale spot around her finger - might be nothing, but maybe a line from a ring? Hard to say. Smooth palms, more so than she'd have expected for anyone on a world as rough as Semper; obviously not a native. And scars. Several of them. One on her shoulder, small and crescent-shaped. A very faint little line on her neck. The shape of a knifeblade in her lower back. Nicks over her knuckles. And the most startling one, a pale, puckered knot in the center of her chest, eerily close to her heart.

After they finished, Kaylee helped Beckett dry her hair and find something clean and dry to wear, while Zoe headed outside into the bright sunlight, where Mal was checking rivets in the hull. "Captain?"

He hopped down from the ladder and wiped sweat off his forehead. "Well?"

"She's fine, sir. Actually starting to get antsy."

"Any more word from her boss?"

She shook her head. "Nothing new. Wasn't expecting it till tomorrow anyway, though. Doc says one more day of rest might do her some good."

"Fine." He stretched, squinting up at the hazy blue sky. "I'll be easier once we're done here. I don't like this business. Getting shot at for no reason ain't my idea of a good day."

"Lucky she was there, sir."

"I know." He scowled. "I don't like waiting on luck to save me."

Zoe bit back the words _You didn't have to this time._ "Seems like maybe there's something else bothering you about her. Some other kind of tension."

Mal shot her a sharp look. "What are you trying not to say?"

"Nothing." He huffed, clearly disbelieving. "She's a beautiful woman, Captain. There's nothing wrong with noticing."

"Your husband know you're thinking that way?" he grumbled.

Zoe tried hard not to smile. Succeeded somewhat. Though the captain was giving her a baleful look, so she must have failed at least partially. "Not talking about me, sir."

* * *

"Doc?" Mal peered into the infirmary to find, not Simon, but Beckett, a thin robe clutched to her chest. She looked up, startled, her eyes flashing annoyance. "Oh. I - uh. Sorry."

She tugged the robe over her shoulders, but too late. His mind was swamped with the smooth pale glow of her skin, the tantalizing hint of her body, just barely hidden under the thin, silky blue fabric, and with the rich gleam of her hair and the dark, glowing glance she was throwing him from under those soft lashes, he had to make himself look away. And honestly he was starting to get fed up with her because who did she think she _was_ , walking into a fight and saving his damn life and looking so _gorram_ gorgeous while she dismissed him like he wasn't even worth her time?

Her voice cut, sharp and sarcastic, into his thinking. "You here for a reason?"

"I was - uh - the doc. Looking for him."

"He left a few minutes ago. Keep walking, Captain."

He gritted his teeth walked away, wondering how the hell he got tangled up with this exasperating woman and hating himself for wondering just how she'd react if he ran his mouth over the pale line of her throat and shut up her mocking lips with his tongue.

* * *

Montgomery called again, arranged to meet them in Caybee the next day. Mal breathed a sigh of relief. He was ready to have this troublesome woman out of his infirmary and off his ship and out of his life.

She took the news with a measure of satisfaction, perched on the infirmary bed, and he silently cursed Kaylee for lending her that robe that was entirely too short and flimsy and did nothing much to hide her, all smooth skin and deep eyes and her _legs_ , so long and shapely. He should have just let Zoe tell her. This woman did things to him, made him stupid, made his body sharply aware and wanting and that wasn't something he was finding himself able to deal with.

It had been a long time since a woman had left him so utterly witless.

* * *

And then everyone else left for town.

His whole crew. They had errands, they had food and supplies to get. But Zoe and Wash were taking an afternoon by themselves, Shepherd Book went with Simon and River to pick up food and medical supplies, and even Kaylee grudgingly told him she had to leave. "Sorry, sir. But I got a whole list of things I need to get. Otherwise I'd stay and make sure you don't go stir-crazy."

Jayne grinned. "And I heard there's a whorehouse in town. Called the 'House of Pain.' Sounds shiny. You know I got to check that out."

"Fine," Mal grumbled. "Fine. You'll all feel powerful guilty when you come back and find the woman's knifed me in my sleep and stolen all our things."

Wash shrugged. "Not like we've got much to steal, so no real worries there."

"If she stabs me, I will stagger into _your_ bunk to bleed out. And then haunt you forever."

"You prefer I get her some clothes while we're out, Captain?" Zoe asked innocently. "Or...maybe not?"

He glared at her.


	4. Chapter 4

Any hope he'd had of a quiet, worry-free afternoon vanished when he realized Beckett was awake. He sighed, leaning into the infirmary, looking anywhere except at the slim lines of her body in that too-short little robe of Kaylee's. Why hadn't he asked the doc to slip her a sedative or something? "Crew's out getting supplies. Radio's on the wall, I'm on the bridge. If you need something, call."

She nodded, her hair loose, one stray curl dangling over her eyes, and he had to stop his hand from reaching out to tuck it back and damn it straight to _hell,_ he needed this woman off his ship _now_.

* * *

Mal sprawled in the captain's chair, feet kicked up on the console. Wash had radioed in to say the crew was fine in town, everyone had checked in, and so far no troubles. First time for everything. Which left Mal bored and strongly considering letting himself fall into a doze.

He jerked awake at the soft sound of bare feet on the metal gangway behind him, and he whirled, his hand going to his holster -

\- to find Beckett, blinking at him, startled, those big doe eyes wide. She froze, one hand on the wall, only relaxing when she saw his arm come away from his gun. "Are you always this inviting?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I was bored."

He fought the urge to growl. "Go back to the infirmary."

"No."

His fists tightened. This maddening, frustrating _woman_. "That wasn't a request. I won't have you wandering around."

"Relax, captain,"she drawled, rolling her eyes. "I didn't break anything. Not like you'd be able to tell, on this old bucket."

Hot anger laced through his blood, his every muscle tensing. She did _not_ just - "Don't you _dare._ Criticize. My ship."

"Ohhhh." She got a dark gleam in her eyes, her face turning up into a smile that made his stomach twist. "That's a sore spot. You don't like me saying this ship's just a pile of scrap met-"

He lunged out of his chair and into her space, standing far too close. She stepped back instinctively, her back hitting the wall, and then she was toe-to-toe with him, her face flushed. Her chest was heaving under that silky little robe, her eyes wide, her pupils dark and dilated. The line of her body was pressed up against his, all soft and warm and tantalizing and so full of _want_ , and this was _exactly_ why -

She bit her lip and that was it. That was the last straw. He pushed her back hard and covered her mouth with his.

It was fire, too fast, the blood pounding through his veins. She didn't hold back, her mouth opening under his, hot and wet. Her whole body melted against him, her fingers curling in his hair, and he couldn't stop himself, pushing his thigh between hers, punishing her mouth with the press of his tongue. He swallowed a long whimper from the back of her throat as she sank down against his leg, her thigh drawing up over his, pressing her more firmly against the aching bulge in his trousers. His hips rocked into hers roughly, pulling a deep groan from his chest as his hands tightened around her thighs. She arched into him with a breathy gasp and he was utterly, hopelessly lost, anger and arousal clouding his mind. He flinched as she bit his lip and then she was sliding down his body, her feet hitting the floor. She shoved, hard, and he stumbled back. She planted her hands on his chest and pushed him down into his chair, straddling his lap and kissing him hard and unyielding.

He tugged her hair, pulling her back enough to growl into her mouth. " _I don't like you_."

She tightened her thighs around him, grinding into his lap in a move that made his head spin, and then leaned in and bit his ear, whispering, "I don't _care_."

She sounded so amused, so arch, and it just made him so _angry_ that she was laughing at him, like she was too good for all of this, this irritating, gorgeous woman who straddled his legs and insulted his ship and saved his life and just -

He slid his hand up her thigh, his fingers tense on the taut muscle, and almost choked when he realized there was nothing but bare skin under the silky little robe. She let out a little whine, rocking into him, her mouth opening against his neck.

He felt her fingers trace hotly over his chest, sliding his suspenders off his shoulders, tugging open the buttons on his shirt. Her palms slid under the fabric, fingertips pressing his pectoral muscles.

Mal felt his heart rate ratchet up, a hectic, angry tattoo rattling through his body, and damn it to hell, if this was what she wanted -

He slid his hand up under her robe and between her legs.

Her reaction was instant, her whole body arching against him violently. And his head was spinning because she was so _wet_ there, and when she kissed him again it was desperate and needy and a little sloppy. She undid the buckle on his holster, quick, nimble, and it fell open around him. And then she tugged his pants open and curled her hand around him, long, firm strokes with her palm that had him gasping and trying to pull her hand away. Oh, _oh_ slow down, it was too long since any woman had touched him like this outside of a wet dream and his body was already on fire. Her tongue was in his mouth, sliding against his with the same rhythm she stroked him in his lap, and just when he hit the point of no return, she sank down and took him inside herself.

His hips bucked sharply, involuntarily, his whole body overwhelmed at the tight wet heat around him. She let out a keening noise, her hands fisting in his shirt, and it was a long moment of shuddery panting, breath floating between them, before she started to move, a slow, aching glide that drove him insane. He grabbed her thigh, tugged at it to draw her leg up higher over his, driving into her even deeper, pulling a helpless mewling sound from her lips.

Everything started to dissolve, the tight pressure building in his groin, spreading through his body, and the soft warmth of her body sinking on him, around him, pushed him near to bursting. And just as he thought he was about to fly to pieces, she clenched around him violently and shuddered apart, her muscles spasming and tightening so hard it drove him over the edge. He came with his hands in her hair and his teeth in her shoulder, pounding, throbbing full-body release that washed over him like white light.

Mal sucked in air slowly, his limbs heavy and useless. Just. That. Uh.

He tried and failed to reach for her as she scrambled off his lap, leaving him slumped in his chair, exposed, half-dressed, in trousers stained with _them_.

She took a step back, one hand clutching the rumpled edges of her robe, her other hand brushing at her hair, and after a quiet moment that got a little too long, she swallowed. "I should - "

"Uh - okay." Mal had no idea what to say.

He was fairly certain he wasn't angry anymore, though.

"Kate."

"What?"

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, shooting him a glance that looked almost shy. "My first name is Kate."

Before he could answer, she was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

"You have a good time with Beckett while we were out, sir?"

Mal bristled a little - but nope, Wash didn't know. And wouldn't. "I kept to myself, thank you, Wash." Not a lie. Wasn't his fault she trotted onto the bridge. And what transpired next was entirely her fault too, for being so stupidly beautiful and so damn near naked.

While the crew unpacked supplies from the vehicle, Kaylee handed Beckett some clothes they'd picked up in town for her, and Mal had to push down a pang of loss. They were a ways across the cargo bay, but he caught a bit of their conversation.

"I'm so sorry, Kaylee -"

"It's okay! I've gotten worse out. Cheap cloth, you can splash pretty much anything on it."

Beckett - _Kate_ \- disappeared, heading back towards the infirmary with a gait that looked comfortable enough, but Mal gripped the railing tight, swallowing hard. It hadn't even occurred to him. Of course. He never even bothered getting the gorram thing off of her, what was he _thinking_ –

He leaned over to Kaylee as she brushed past him, feigning ignorance. "Kaylee? What's going on?"

"She tore her stitches somehow," Kaylee shrugged. "Started bleeding. Stained my robe."

Oh.

* * *

At lunch, Mal nearly inhaled his spoon when Kate walked into the galley behind Zoe. Not that the little robe hadn't been glorious. But this was her, softer, more natural-looking - light cotton dress, the hem swirling around her knees, a worn-looking jacket over her shoulders. The subtle glint of the chain around her neck, the one with that ring on it. With her soft hair, in all her slender grace, she was like a dancer, tall and lithe.

He forced his eyes back down to his stew.

She took the empty seat across the table from him, accepting the bowl the Shepherd offered her. Mal gripped his spoon and focused hard on presenting the image of a man who'd never had angry sex with her in the captain's chair.

"Are you feeling better?" Kaylee asked her innocently.

Ka- no. Beckett. Beckett smiled gently. "I am. Thanks."

Everyone fell silent, eating busily, and at first it was fine. Until Mal glanced at River. The girl was eyeing Beckett, her head cocked to one side. She turned to look at Mal, then back at Beckett. A little smile curled over her lips. Mal froze. Oh, no, come on, how did she _do_ that, knowing things she had no right to be knowing?

But the girl said nothing for once, just watched them both with those big eyes of hers, and he couldn't help but feel uncomfortably kin to a zoo animal.

* * *

He finally ran out of reasons to linger in the cockpit.

Mal pulled himself out of the same chair he'd been in that time they'd stop talking their fight and started _doing_. He took his time heading for cargo. Didn't want to prolong this goodbye, no flowers, no tears, no fuss. It was a one-time thing and he didn't see any necessity to belabor the parting, and certainly not to inform all his crew about the particular carnal episode they'd had right there on the bridge.

But inside the cargo bay, he didn't see anyone but Wash. Were they outside? "Where is everyone?"

Wash didn't look up. "They're gone. You just missed 'em."

He pointed out the open cargo bay doors, and there Mal saw it, the rapidly shrinking vehicle as it sped away across the desert, the figures on it getting tinier and tinier, along with the one who wouldn't be coming back.

* * *

Beckett was quiet on the way into town.

Zoe drove, preferring her own rate of moving to Jayne's typical pace of Fairly Certain Fiery Death, and kept an eye on the woman beside her. Beckett kept her eyes on the scenery, scant though it was, her hands folded in her lap.

They were nearly to town when she finally spoke. "Thank you for saving the necklace."

"Of course. Figured it was personal," Zoe said.

"It is."

She offered nothing else, lapsing back into comfortable silence until Jayne piped up from the backseat. "You know, uh, Beckett," he started, his hands folded awkwardly in his lap, "I think you're awful pretty."

"Really." Beckett looked amused more than anything, lips twitching, eyebrow slightly raised. "That's...very nice of you."

"I wanted to ask, uh, if maybe before you go - "

"Well, look at that. We're here. Ain't that nice." Zoe hopped out of the vehicle, Beckett following. She lowered her voice. "You should know, Jayne'll try to plow anything in a skirt. My advice would be run off screaming, unless you're wanting to be a human mattress for about ten minutes or so. Course, it's your choice."

Beckett let out a short laugh. "I understand. Thanks." Glancing off towards the road, she watched for a moment, eyes scanning carefully. "I think those are my guys."

"Her guys," it turned out, were two men, shuffling towards them, bickering loudly over something.  
One of them punched the other in the arm. "Dude. That is the _stupidest_ \- "

"Shut up. Just because you're jealous you don't have someone who cares enough to worry about you -"

"Maybe next time you can remember to bring your balls to work, okay? And leave your dress at home?"

Zoe shot a glance at Beckett, who was grinning, her arms folded. She cleared her throat, nodding at her friends. "Gentlemen."

"Beckett." The littler one grinned at her toothily. "Good to see you up and about."

"I missed your smiling faces." She turned. "My guys, Ryan and Espo. This is Zoe and Jayne. From the crew that took me in."

"Well. Friends of Beckett's, friends of ours." The little one, the one she'd called Ryan, grinned, reaching out to shake hands. Zoe took pity and took his hand. Jayne just stared at him.

Espo scowled and slapped Ryan on the back of the neck. "Stop it. This ain't a tea party."

Zoe coughed to cover up the laugh. She liked these guys.

Ryan produced a pouch from his jacket pocket, with Montgomery's sincere thanks for their troubles. Beckett gave them a quiet goodbye, cleverly sidestepping Jayne's uncomfortable attempt at a hug (seeing as his hands were entirely too far south, it wasn't a rough guess what he was intending) and grasping Zoe's hand warmly, and soon she was leaving with Ryan and Espo, who quickly resumed bickering.

Zoe and Jayne watched her go, the three figures walking back towards town as the sun slowly started to set on the horizon.

"I'm really gonna miss her fine ass," Jayne said mournfully.

* * *

"We're back, sir."

Mal leaned on the railing, watching Zoe and Jayne climb out of the vehicle. "So you are. How'd it go?"

"Shiny," Jayne hollered. "Not that I'm thrilled we lost that shining example of female. You realize she was the finest thing I've gotten to look at in months, but I _still_ didn't get a chance to get all on that?"

"Delivered her safe and sound, sir. Montgomery's boys gave us a fee for her rescue and care, too."

Zoe handed him a pouch of coin, a hefty one by the feel of it. Mal nodded. "Good. Good business."

Zoe and Jayne tromped off, but he stayed, staring down at the money, trying to understand his sudden, irrational desire to fling it out the nearest window.

* * *

He woke up that night with a gasp, lunging upright in his bunk, trying to follow a pair of green-gold eyes and a voice that whispered _Do you still not like me?_


	6. Chapter 6

"Captain? Captain!"

Mal frowned, pressing the button for his radio. "What is it, Wash?"

"We've got a call from Roy Montgomery, sir. Says he wants to hire us."

* * *

Mal, Zoe and Jayne met Roy Montgomery at a strangely pleasant little restaurant. Mal eyed the dining room suspiciously. The only other patrons were a family with three young children and a table of three giggling teenagers. No broken furniture, no blast damage to the walls, clean floors.

It made him uneasy.

At a private table in the back, Roy had his boys - Ryan and - uh - Esther, did he call him? - grab drinks while they talked. "You've already proven yourself a good man, Captain Reynolds. I can never thank you enough for taking care of Beckett."

Mal choked down whiskey, hoping to dull his reaction to the name. Didn't quite work. "Well. In all fairness, she saved my life first."

"I'm happy it worked out for everyone." Montgomery nodded, waving for more drinks. "Glad you could meet me here."

"It's a nice place. Nicer than we usually get to. I was starting to think this town was nothing but dust and tavern fights."

"Can be dangerous, but I think you'll find Caybee's worth the trouble."

"The lack of bullets currently coming at me is a considerable addition to its charm."

Roy grinned. "Funny. You're a funny man, Reynolds. I like you."

"I like when folks like me. Usually saves me a lot of trouble."

"And I like hiring people to do things right." Montgomery folded his hands. "If you're needing a job right now, I need something transported."

Ah. There it was. Mal kept his face impassive. "I'll listen to details."

"Of course." Roy nodded. "I need a package delivered to a friend on Raglan. Private property. Nothing that's illegal, explosive or bites. It'd be minimal work on your part. And I'll make it worth your while. All of you."

Mal shared a quick glance with Zoe. She looked optimistic. This might be a good thing. "You just need us to relocate something? That's all?"

"Like I said, minimal work," Roy shrugged. "It's important enough to me that it be done right."

Mal nodded, twisting his empty glass on his hand. Raglan. Small world. Quiet. Seven or eight days' travel. "Now, when you say 'a friend' on Raglan, you mean a friend, or - "

"- or a secretly mortal enemy?" Roy finished for him dryly. "A friend, Captain. Former colleague. I haven't seen him in a few years but he's one of the good ones."

After a quick glance at Zoe and Jayne, Mal swallowed. "Well, pending a formal agreement on terms and payment and such, I think we can help you out."

Roy grinned broadly. "Excellent. Consider it a two-week vacation, Captain. I know Raglan's not the most exciting journey."

"I assume the goods are modest-sized enough for the cargo hold?"

"Hmm? Oh, not to worry. The object can fit in a knapsack. Other than taking up a bed in your passenger dorm, you'll barely even know you're working."

Whoa. Just a second. "Hold up there. Bed? Thought you said this was just a delivery."

"Oh, it is. All you have to do it provide the transport. My agent will actually hand it over."

"Your - agent?" Mal furrowed his eyebrows. One of these guys, then? Ryan, or the one that still looked grumpy? Could be worse. They seemed reasonable enough. "So it's a passenger run? Am I gonna need to pull out the fancy dishes and plush carpets?"

Roy shrugged. "That's up to her."

Mal turned, followed his gaze back to the doorway, where he saw –

It was her.

Leaning in the doorway, watching them with - something - he couldn't quite place it, some mixture of amusement and hesitation in her rich green eyes.

She bit her lip and his fists tightened.

"Captain."

He swallowed, shifting in his chair, because _gorram,_ he wasn't ready to see her again. And that soft voice, all air and silk, so strangely intimate even here and now and just –

"Beckett."

 _Kate_.

"Like I said, Captain." Roy knocked back his drink. "Two-week vacation."


	7. Chapter 7

Kate - no _no_ , Beckett, it was Beckett - was silent on the ride back to the ship. Mal took a backseat, stealing occasional glances at her while Zoe drove. She watched the desert go by, her fingers curled around that ring she wore on the chain around her neck. Her hair was loose, swirling in the wind, but she didn't seem to mind.

She looked up once and caught him. He blinked, staring into those deep, forest-colored eyes, waiting for the smirk he knew was coming -

\- but it didn't. K- Beckett looked away, and maybe it was from the sting of the desert air, but he could have sworn her cheeks were pink.

* * *

They finally got back to the ship, far outside town. Kate (oh, he gave up, he was too far gone) looked up, her eyes trained on _Serenity_ , looking it over with a gaze both curious and mildly amused. Mal felt suddenly, irrationally drawn to defend his beloved ship, even though she hadn't actually said anything yet. The words _pile of scrap metal_ were burned into his mind anyway, though he was trying hard not to dwell on what had transpired just after she'd said them. "What?"

She flicked a glance at him, looking surprised, like she hadn't expected the question. "Just realized I hadn't gotten a good look at it. I was slightly - unconscious - last time I came here."

"Oh." That was a good point. "I know it ain't fancy."

She smiled at that, a little curve of her lips, and it was almost painful, how intensely he wanted her. "Well. It's no castle. But I like it."

They disembarked outside the ship. "Gorram sand. All up in my gorram clothes, Mal. I hate this place," Jayne growled.

"Thank you, as always, for such a valuable insight. I'll keep that filed away."

Jayne shot him a glare but Mal ignored it. If Kate could be nicer about the ship, the least they could do was not insult her planet. Politeness had to start somewhere.

* * *

Kaylee came bounding into the cargo bay, clomping down the stairs in grease-stained overalls, her smudged face beaming. "Beckett! Hi! You're back!"

"Hi, Kaylee." Kate smiled at the young woman. "Nice to see you again."

"Hear you're runnin' a job with us!"

"At least I don't have to borrow your clothes this time," Kate laughed.

Mal gritted his teeth. He really didn't need any reminders about that little short robe she was wearing when they -

"Kate."

He hadn't even heard River come in. She slipped past him with light feet, her eyes bright. "You're coming with us?"

"Yes." Kate eyed the girl cautiously, unsure where she stood with this odd, slender little waif who knew things she had no business knowing.

River reached for Kate's hand, turning it over in hers, tracing the lines on her palm with a delicate, careful touch. "Spells _M_. Good letter."

Kate flicked a quick glance at Mal, but only said, "Is it now."

"Be careful." River let her hand go. "Can't be shaking hands with just anyone."

* * *

The "cargo," Zoe was mildly surprised to discover, was just a small parcel, wrapped in worn yellow paper. It looked remarkably innocuous; Beckett had it tucked under her arm. Didn't even seem terribly heavy.

"You want to keep that somewhere?"

Beckett nodded. "Is there someplace secure?"

"I think we might have the perfect spot. Captain?" Mal glanced up. "Any chance she can keep the package in your quarters?"

"Ah. Sure. If that's fine with you. Beckett."

Beckett seemed hesitant at that. Zoe hastened to explain. "Captain's quarters have a makeshift safe in one wall. Should fit your cargo easily. Safe, out of the way, good place for valuables."

Beckett agreed, trusting the parcel into Zoe's hands and following her to Mal's room. She watched as Zoe tucked the package into the hollow panel in one wall and replaced the false front. It wasn't until they climbed back out that she spoke. "Am I able to check on it?"

"Just ask the captain. I'm sure he'll be happy to oblige." They headed back to the bridge. Zoe resisted pointing out that Beckett's being a beautiful woman might make the captain a bit more obliging. Didn't seem to be a real polite way to imply it.

* * *

They were all eating, perched around the table in the galley, when Jayne decided to try his luck again. Mal watched as Jayne stared at Kate, unblinking, for several minutes, before clearing his throat. "Uh, Beckett - can I get you more water?"

Wash choked abruptly on his food, grabbing for his drink as Zoe patted his back and hissed something (undoubtedly a warning) into his ear.

Kate blinked, but slowly handed him her glass. "Thank you."

Jayne grinned at her beautifically. "Ain't a problem, pretty thing."

Wash held up his glass. "Actually, could I get some - "

"Ain't talkin' to you," Jayne growled, stalking back to the counter for water.

Kaylee was openly snorting into her plate; even the good Shepherd was biting back a mild chuckle at Jayne's sudden chivalrous side. Mal took a breath, trying to stop looking at Kate.

Then Jayne gave her the water. Her fingers brushed against Jayne's as she took the glass, and to Mal's shock, she actually smiled at Jayne, a dazzling smile, glowing and bright and far too beautiful. A hot, quick flare of unreasonable jealousy cut right through him, lancing through his blood, and he wanted to punch Jayne, wanted to plant a fist in his boorish, lying mouth, because he had _no right_ to be like this and try to use Kate like that and Mal just wanted to drag her out, pull her away, and -

Kate turned a glance back at Mal, her eyes lingering briefly on his mouth before flicking up to meet his gaze. And she knew. She knew exactly what he was thinking. He could tell. And he could hear the words, as clearly as if she'd spoken them aloud: _I thought you didn't like me, Captain._


	8. Chapter 8

After they finished eating, the ship was ready to take off. Mal glanced around the cockpit. "Where'd K- Beckett go?"

"Passenger dorm, sir," Zoe said. "Said she was tired. Went to lie down."

"Alright Captain, engines are online and we're prepared for takeoff." Wash eased the controls, and the ship floated gently. "Here we go, kids. Let's find some sky."

 _Serenity_ tilted up and lifted, a graceful path right through atmo. Mal gripped the arms of his chair and watched the ground get far.

"Kaylee?" Wash yelled into his radio. "How are we?"

"Burnin' real shiny!" Her voice crackled over the radio. "Wish the engine ran like this every day."

The ship rumbled its way through the clouds and Wash gave her an easy twirl as they slipped the last air of Semper, into the deep sky. He scanned the controls. "Looking good, Captain. She's flying like a dream."

"Good." Mal stood. "I, uh - think I'll go check on our passenger. Let me know if anything happens."

* * *

The door was open, but he stopped outside the dorm, rubbing his neck, taking a long breath before he knocked hesitantly on the doorframe. Maybe she was asleep. Maybe he wouldn't have to -

"Come in."

Damn.

Mal stepped into the room, which felt strangely cavernous without its usual crowding of passengers. Today there was just one. She was stretched out in one of the bottom bunks, her boots on the floor beside it. She was lying still, but he could see her eyes open, fixed on him. She grudgingly propped herself up, swinging her legs to the floor and tucking her hair behind her ear. "Can I help you, Captain?"

"Uh." _Damn_ it. He got stupid around her. Those gorram green eyes. And a _bed_. "Had a good takeoff. We're looking at a pretty easy trip."

"Good."

"I, uh - I wanted to say - sorry if you think I've been - keeping a distance." Her eyebrows furrowed, like she didn't understand, and Mal tried to explain. "Just - wanted to say I wasn't meaning to avoid you. Today. Around."

"You mean because we - "

"Right." He swallowed, dragging his eyes away from the slow rise and fall of her chest. "Just don't want any discomfort."

"Discomfort." She was eyeing him cautiously, testing the word.

"Right. We're professionals. Adults. No reason we can't be civil, even if we - had - an encounter," he finished lamely.

Her eyebrow twitched up, her lips quirking. "Really. You're calling it an 'encounter?'"

"Well - I just - I'm trying to be polite." Mal groaned inwardly. He just wanted out of here right now. He needed to not be looking at her. "I confess I hadn't thought I'd be ferrying you through space afterwards."

Beckett stood, stretching her slim body; he stared helplessly at the lithe, taut muscle, the bare skin that peeked out from the hem of her shirt. He'd never actually seen her naked. "I know."

"Right." He nodded. And clamped down the desperate want coursing through his veins. "So - we're all right? No - trouble?"

"No trouble."

"Good." He gritted his teeth, because oh, she smelled so good, tantalizing, like sin and perfection and green-eyed beauty. She was the kind of woman he could never have. Except now he _had_ , at least briefly, and she was all kinds of perfect and too gorgeous and just _why_ did she have to be here. "I think maybe it would be best if -"

Before he could finish, she grabbed his shirt, yanked him forward, and kissed him.

It was _fire_ , it was instant, it was hot and terrible and amazing at once. He grabbed her, threading his hands through her silky hair, forcing his tongue over her lips. And she _let him_ , damn everything in the world she kissed him back. Her mouth was rich under him, eager and willing, and she whimpered softly in the back of her throat, a soft, high-pitched noise that set his blood alight.

He didn't realize she was pulling him with her until there was a soft bump as her legs hit the edge of a cot. She fell back onto it, pulling him with her, her hands deftly working at the buttons of his shirt, her mouth trailing hot kisses over his jaw. Mal groaned, holding himself over her, his body pressing hers into the mattress. She was all soft skin and slim curves and gasping breath, her hips jolting into his, driving him mad, and he had to force himself to pull back and breathe.

He looked down at Kate, lying beneath him, her face flushed, her breath coming hard and fast, and he wanted her so badly his body actually _ached_.

"What is it?" she murmured, her voice low and throaty. She ran her hand over the hard plane of his abs, sliding down until her fingers were tugging at the waist of his trousers.

"I - " He choked, and everything washed over him and it was too much, because that first time they were angry and it was about pure heat but this was different, he was feeling _things_ and it was wrong and bad but he couldn't -

"I want you." The words came ripping out of his chest, rough and unfinished. "Kate - I _want_ you - "

She captured his mouth in a long, slow kiss, stealing the words off his lips. "Prove it."

Her voice was a tempting mix of breathy air and tease, silk and challenge, and it was all he needed. Mal growled, pulling her shirt off her roughly, relishing the soft gasp, the arching of her back. Her eyes were wide, dark, drowned in pure wanting.

She shivered under his hands as he undressed her, and when she finally lay under him, slim and pale and so gorram _perfect_ he couldn't stop himself. He traced the lines of her body with his fingers, his lips, his tongue, drawing soft, helpless noises from her red, kiss-swollen mouth. She tugged at his shirt, her slim fingers hooking under his suspenders, trying to pull them aside. He shrugged them off, leaning back in to kiss her slowly, and when he slid his fingers between her legs she let out a long whimper, her hands clutching at his back.

When he finally nestled between her legs and sank inside her, she gasped, her fingernails scraping painfully into his back as she flexed around him. He waited, feeling the erratic rhythm of her breathing start to even, her trembling calming, before he finally started moving.

She was moaning against him, some dark, mysterious language, words he didn't know, dripping over her mouth like honey and he devoured them all. Her hands curled in his hair, tightening, her hips rolling up into his again and again, twisting, sending black spots into his vision.

Mal gritted his teeth - he wasn't going to last much longer - and reached down, catching her thigh, tugging it higher. The change in angle caught her off-guard, her mouth opening, her eyes rolling back. He drew back and thrust into her _hard_ one last time and she came hard, tightening against him, the hot wet sheath of her fluttering around him so wildly he couldn't fight it. He followed, spilling inside her in a rush, long and drawn-out and so inevitable he couldn't breathe.

He collapsed onto her, spent. His heart was galloping in his chest, his whole body burning, buzzing and aware of the rapid flutter of her pulse and the quick gasp of her breath against him.

He wondered where she got that bullet hole in her chest.


	9. Chapter 9

Kate walked onto the bridge an hour later and Mal forced himself not to look at her. Zoe and Wash turned, though. "Beckett. Hi. Have a nice nap?" Zoe asked.

"Yeah. Thanks." So much for not looking at her. Mal caught his breath, but she looked perfectly composed, her clothes smooth, her hair neat. Not a mark on her fair skin. Not that he could see, anyhow. She cleared her throat, avoiding his eyes, looking out the window instead. "It's been a while since I've been offworld. Forgot what the view was like."

He almost got stupid, a whole cloud of words crowding up his mind about stars and her eyes and the glow of her skin, words that needed to not be in him. Because the stupider the thought, the more likely he was to let it out.

* * *

Zoe had the night shift. Mal waved goodnight to her and headed to his quarters. He waited an hour before quietly slipping through the cargo bay, past the infirmary, and into the passenger dorm.

They didn't get to the bed the first time.

He meant to. He really did. But the door shut and he barely had time to turn before she was on him, fierce and wanting. He shoved her back against the wall and she climbed up his body eagerly, her legs winding tight around his waist, and there had been a few seconds he'd really honestly intended to talk, really, to say something on the side of intelligent, but she sucked on his bottom lip and rolled her body into his and it all just sort of - happened.

The heavy tightness in his groin was pulsing, pounding, unbearable. He finally realized she was moaning as he thrust into her, and _oh_ it was like fire but they had to be quiet, couldn't -

He pressed his hand over her mouth, hissing _shhhhhh_ into her ear. Her reaction was instant, her whole body going rigid against him as she choked out a sob into his palm. She bucked sharply against him, digging her heels into his backside, and he thrust into her one last time and she let go, shuddering to a climax under his hands, biting at his hand as her thighs squeezed around his waist. He bit down on her shoulder and came, overwhelmed with the scent of her hair and the taut muscles of her legs around him.

* * *

"I can't stay."

"I know."

Mal had to force his eyes away from her, all rumpled in the bed, sheet clutched to her chest. He tugged his pants back on, trying to find his shirt. Oh. That...ended up on the other side of the room.

Mostly dressed, he turned back to her. Too many things. Too many things trying to be said. "I, uh. Sorry."

"Don't be." She ran a hand through her hair, all rich and tousled from his touch. His hands itched to explore it again. "I'm fine with keeping this between us, Captain."

"Okay. Okay. Good." He pulled his suspenders back on and buttoned the last few buttons on his shirt. He was about to speak when he caught the look on her face, the smoldering spark in her green eyes, the smile hovering over her swollen lips. "What?"

"You should go."

"I - why?"

She let the sheet slip, and he stared, mesmerized, willing it to fall and show all of her, so close, so -

"Captain, if you don't leave now, I'm tearing those clothes off you again and you're not leaving at all."

He left before he could let out one of the idiot thoughts in his brain. _I want to stay. You're beautiful._

_When did you get that scar?_

* * *

The next morning, he shuffled into the galley, yawning, to find Kate behind the stove, stirring something. Her hair was pulled back, and she was wearing something soft and pink, her feet bare. She must have heard him; she glanced up and saw him, and her face broke into a shy smile.

She was breathtaking.

He was an idiot.

"Uh. Morning."

"Morning, Captain." The way she said it, _Captain_ , all soft and breathy, it sounded dirty. Especially now he knew the way she said it in bed. But it was more breathless there, higher-pitched, more desperate when she whined it as he -

"Ah, Captain. Good morning." Shepherd Book reappeared from the pantry, holding a few cans. "Kate came in and offered to help with breakfast. I have to say, it's nice to have company."

"My mom was an amazing cook," she said quietly, a soft smile turning up her lips, and Mal suddenly wanted nothing more than to kiss her, right there, in front of anyone who might see.

"Well, you seem to have picked up her talents," the Shepherd beamed, tasting a bite of something crispy sitting on a burner. "This is wonderful."

Mal perked up, reaching for one himself, and got slapped on the hand with a spatula. He scowled at her, but she raised her eyebrows, brandishing the spatula threateningly. "No. Wait till everyone gets some."

"Didn't know we were fixing to talk about _gettin' some_ , Beckett," he murmured, just for her ears. She flushed pink, shooting him a dark, gorgeous look from under those silky eyelashes, and he _really_ wanted to kiss her.

Kaylee came tripping in then, breaking the mood as she chattered away with the Shepherd, and then Simon and River were there. And even with so many eyes in the room, Mal kept watching her, this strange, soft incarnation of the woman he was starting to be dangerously enchanted by.

* * *

"Wrench, please."

Kate rooted through the toolbox, pulling out a wrench and handing it to Kaylee, who was absorbed in the inner workings of the engine. "Is that the right one?"

"Yes! Thanks." Kaylee disappeared back into the engine and there was a series of soft _clinks_. "Aaaaaaand there! That should do it."

She popped back out, setting down the wrench and wiping her dirty hands on a rag. "You know, I like having someone new around. Nice to have someone to talk to when I'm workin'."

Kate settled beside her. "You and your crewmates must be pretty close. You all spend a lot of time together."

"That we do," Kaylee nodded, propping herself up on her wrists. "Though I'll confess, there are times I don't find myself hankering for so much face time with Jayne. But overall, we're a pleasant little family."

"Do you ever get lonely?"

Kaylee looked down, picking at a loose thread on her shirt. It was a long moment before she spoke, her voice soft. "It were a lot easier when Inara was here."

"Inara?"

"Used to be - well, not crew. Not exactly. She rented one of the shuttles, and traveled with us. She'd get clients on the worlds we went to."

Kate frowned quizzically. "Clients?"

"She's a Companion."

"Oh." Kate let out a soft chuckle.

"She was - she was like a sister, with all her shiny things, and it was - nice to have someone to talk to, and show me how to fix my hair and paint my eyes all pretty, and I was always so jealous," Kaylee breathed.

"I'm sure."

"You know, you're pretty just like her. I bet you could have been a Companion."

Kate coughed, leaning back against the wall with a wry smile. "I almost was."

"Really?" Kaylee gasped, her eyes wide. "Wow. What was it like?"

"I was seventeen. I thought being a Companion would be glamorous. Beautiful clothes, big parties. So I started at the Academy."

"What happened?"

"I saw what it's really like," Kate shrugged. "It's marketed as though it's a deep spiritual calling, but it's nothing more than a business. Those clients? They're not buying companionship, or friendship, or anything like that. They're buying sex. I didn't want to make a living selling that. So I left after a year."

"But - but Inara said she cares about her clients."

"Maybe that's true. But ask yourself." Kate fixed her with a cool gaze. "If a client lost all his money, went completely broke, how long would that 'friendship' last?"

Kaylee blinked, her mouth open. "I...guess I didn't ever think of it quite like that."

"I didn't, until I started to see it from the inside." Kate rubbed her fingers over her knee absently. "But I knew I never wanted a relationship someone could buy off of me."

* * *

That night, Mal found her cross-legged on her bed, reading something. Her eyes scanned the page hungrily, her hair spilling over her shoulders.

She didn't notice him until she paused to turn a page. Her eyes went wide, and she hesitated for a moment before shutting the book and setting it aside. "Hi."

"Hi." Talking was a bad idea. Talking let out his stupid. Talking let him stop and think about what he was doing. "Uh. Good book?"

"Yeah."

"Huh." He shoved his hands in his pockets. Shouldn't have started talking. What was he supposed to say now? He came here for a specific reason, after all, and this definitely weren't it. "Uh. Is - it - "

"Come here."

She uncurled her legs, watching as he slowly sat on the mattress in front of her. He wasn't sure - this wasn't good, this was too slow, he didn't -

"Close your eyes."

His eyes shut automatically, his fists tightening on his thighs, and he took in a shaky breath. This wasn't what he'd expected.

Before he could open his eyes and decide to back away, her mouth was on his, slow and warm and searching. Her tongue stroked at his lips and her fingers carded through his hair and every inch of him was surging into her, uncontrolled, just wanting. How did she do this?

She pushed him gently, until his back hit the lumpy pillow and her knees were sliding around his waist. Her soft body curved against him, her mouth trailing light, wet kisses down his jaw, over his chest. He groaned. "Uhhhhh - Kate, _Kate_ \- "

"Shhhh,"she whispered, her words warm over his skin as she tugged his shirt free from his waistband, slipping her hands inside to feather over his ribcage. "Let me."

* * *

It wasn't what he'd expected.

It was better.


	10. Chapter 10

"Anything interesting going on, husband?"

"Not even a little bit," Wash sighed. "Pull up a seat, my Amazon beauty. Captain around?"

"He and Jayne are working on inventory, down in the armory. Been there maybe an hour." Zoe settled into the empty seat opposite Wash. "This is a strange, strange job we're on."

Wash shook his head. "Montgomery rents the entire ship to transport something that could fit in a saddlebag? Makes no sense."

Zoe shrugs. "I was skeptical. But if the captain trusts, I'm willing to go with him." She leaned back. "And I like Beckett. She's a good type. Nice enough to have around."

"Yeah. She's - strangely normal." Wash paused. "Which in itself is unsettling."

Zoe shot him a look. "Suppose I'll have to be the one to point out how she's easy on the eyes?"

Wash sputtered, knocking over the dinosaurs on his console. " _What?_ Woman, I'm surprised to hear you say such a thing."

"Oh, let go, honey. No harm in noticing. Honestly, I'm wondering if Mal ain't started noticing it." Zoe shrugged. "Been a long, long while, even since Inara left. The man might be lonely."

"I dunno," Wash drawled hesitantly. "You really think? With a passenger?"

"You clearly ain't seen the way they've been looking at each other." She chuckled. "More than a few sparks there."

"I guess I could maybe see it," Wash shrugged. "He really _is_ ruggedly handsome."

* * *

After dinner, Kaylee darted up from the table to produce a surprise: a slightly lumpy pastry. "Kate and I made it! Everyone has to have some. Everyone."

She eagerly dished up the cherry-filled pastry, handing it around. River sniffed at it openly, as Simon assured her it was safe. Jayne dug in with gusto.

Mal hesitated, fork halfway to his mouth, as he locked eyes with Kate. She was watching him, her eyes sparkling, and at first he didn't get it. Until she took a bite. The fork slid over her lips, cherry filling on the corner of her mouth, and she licked it away without breaking his gaze.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

_Damn._

* * *

When he finally slipped into the passenger quarters late that night, Kate was curled up in bed, wearing just some soft, silky greyish robe, oddly similar to the one she was wearing that one time- that -

\- that time it happened.

Her eyes were open, one hand pillowed under her cheek as she watched him cross the room, sit on the bed beside her. "Starting to think you weren't coming," she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

"Sorry. Kaylee's a talker." He paused, suddenly, desperately uncomfortable. "If - if you're tired, I can - we don't have to - "

"Shhhhhhh." She sat up slowly, her long legs unfolding, her soft hair tumbling over her shoulders. "It's fine."

"I'm sorry if I -"

She cut him off with a soft kiss, tentative, just the lightest pressure of her lips on his as she curled her hand around his jaw. He kissed her back, eager, slowly coaxing her mouth open under his. The kiss deepened, her body melting into his, warm and liquid and unresisting.

She finally pulled back, breathing hard, her hands sliding over his chest, and he knew she could feel the irrational pounding of his pulse, a frantic thudding against his ribs, so heavy it was about to burst out of his chest, and her mouth, her mouth and her hands and he was stupid stupid _stupid_ -

"You taste like cherries," he blurted out.

She froze, her lips leaving his, and for a long moment he hated himself. Why, why was he saying stupid sentimental things that made no gorram _sense?_

"So do you," she whispered into his ear, her breath hot on his skin.

Her lips were on his again, hot and challenging, and when he finally touched her, she let out a soft sigh into his mouth. The silky fabric of her robe slipped off her as easy as water, leaving her bare under his touch, and he kissed her neck, her shoulder, the curve of her breasts. Gorgeous. Gorgeous.

He kissed her everywhere.

She kissed him back.

* * *

She slumped against him afterwards, panting. Her body was hot next to his, slick with sweat. He traced his hand over the smooth lines of her shoulders, hesitantly letting his fingers circle the scar between her breasts.

She covered his hand with hers, pressing his palm flat against her skin. "I was wondering if you saw it."

"Couldn't really miss it." He swallowed thickly around the thought of someone pointing a pistol at her heart and squeezing the trigger. "Doesn't look like it's new."

"It's not."

He wasn't going to ask, but Kate took a long breath and finally spoke, very quietly. "My mom - was killed when I was nineteen. We lived on Central. We were going to dinner. And - it just happened so fast. He came out of nowhere." She stopped for a moment. "I survived. She didn't."

"I'm sorry."

His body ached at the thought of it, at the thought of the innocent young thing seeing her mother crumple to the ground, then the burning that never stopped until everything went black.

"Yeah." She looked away, her jaw set. "So am I."

Mal froze, his hand still pressed flat over the scar. Because he had no place, lying here with her talking about her life like he belonged in it. And wasn't this supposed to be nothing but physical anyhow? Why hadn't he left yet?

"I - I should go." He pulled back slowly, cautiously. She didn't move as he quickly grabbed his clothes and pulled them back on.

Finally dressed, Mal ran a hand through his hair, and finally reached to pick up her robe from the floor. "Here."

"Hmm?" She took it with a quizzical look.

"In case Jayne walks by, you'd best not be nude." Right. That was it.

But Kate got that look in her eyes. The one that said _I know what you're not saying_. She slid her arms into the sleeves, pulling it over herself. "Fine. I promise to only be naked when you're here to protect me, Captain." Her voice was all silk, husky and teasing.

He left before he could act on the urge to...protect her. A few more times.

* * *

Mal made it back to the hallway with the crew's quarters without meeting anyone.

Until he discovered River sitting cross-legged outside his door.

His mouth fell open as he tried to find a legitimate reason to be walking back from the passenger dorms. Before he could come up with anything, the girl rose to her feet gracefully. "Good night, Captain. I hope you sleep well."

"Uh. Thank you."

He watched her trip merrily back out of the hall. Well. How about that. River acting mildly strange. That was new and exciting.

He opened the hatch and was about to swing himself down into his quarters when she stopped. "Captain?"

He looked up. "Hmm?"

"Ask her what she does with ice cubes."

With that, the girl disappeared.


	11. Chapter 11

Two more days.

They'd had a shockingly easy run. Mal was almost uncomfortable. They'd run into an Alliance cruiser once. But they actually weren't lugging contraband, which made things remarkably pleasant. And the Alliance captain hadn't given them a lick of trouble once Kate had batted her eyelashes and leaned innocently over the cargo bay railing, giving him a generous view down the front of her shirt.

Mal might have enjoyed it too. Oh, hell. He's pretty sure everyone did. But the Alliance man had simply handed back their papers, nodded, and told them to carry on.

* * *

Mal took the night watch, letting a bleary-eyed Wash head to bed and get some rest. Mal sat back in the pilot's chair, eyeing the orderly row of toy dinosaurs across the top of the console. The windows behind them lit up the little plastic creatures against the stars, like they were lumbering through a forest of knobs and buttons and gears in some weird, silent migration.

He was just reaching for one when he froze, hearing the soft footsteps behind him. And then her voice, low and teasing. "Captain. Do you want some alone time with your little...stegosaurus?"

Mal turned to find Kate leaning in the doorway, smirking at him, her arms folded. She was wearing that gorram little robe again, and damn if he didn't immediately start wondering what she was wearing under it.

"What're you doing up and about?"

"I couldn't sleep," she shrugged. "I thought maybe you needed some company."

"Right. And by _company_ , you mean..." His voice trailed off as she crossed to where he was sitting and straddled his lap easily, sinking into him with a slow roll of her hips that made his blood pool between his legs.

"What do you think I mean, Captain?" she teased, her lips just a breath away from his.

"I think you mean dirty things. You mean to be sinning." He slid his hands over her gorgeous legs, smooth silky skin under his hands. "Some particular kind of sin you had in mind?"

She caught his lower lip between her teeth, running her tongue over it briefly. "I've always preferred sins of the flesh."

He growled into her lips as her tongue slid into his mouth. She was teasing him, filthy, evil woman. He punished her, kissing her hard and deep and taking, until her thighs tightened around his waist and she started making that soft, helpless mewling noise in the back of her throat, and the desire coiling between his legs was just -

He finally got his hands in her hair and tugged her away, forcing himself not to follow her mouth. She pouted. "What?"

"We need to stop."

"But - "

"I mean it, Beckett." He groaned even as he said the words. "Ain't exactly _secure_ , here."

She grinned, running her hand over his chest teasingly. "You don't want to put on a show?"

"Anyone can walk in. I don't feel a pressing need for my crew to all be evaluating my performance."

" _Pressing need_." She bit her lip, sinking into his lap slowly, pulling a deep groan out of his chest. "I can feel some pressing need right _here_ \- "

" _Beckett._ " If she didn't -

With a dramatic sigh, she slid off his lap. "All right. I'll go. Leave you to play with your little toy all by yourself."

He scowled at the plastic stegosaurus as she turned to leave him.

She paused at the door.

"For the record, Captain - your performance is _exemplary_."

* * *

Zoe finally came to relieve him from his watch, and he stumbled back to his quarters, clambering down the ladder, shucking off his boots, tugging off his shirt, and collapsing into his bunk without ceremony.

He dreamed about soft skin and green eyes and too many stars.

* * *

Was it a few minutes later? - a few hours? - he'd slept but he didn't know how long. He drifted back to consciousness slowly. He felt good. He didn't usually feel this good when -

\- _oh_ -

\- oh yeah. Oh _yeah_.

His dream was clinging to him, all haze and heat, her playful laughter rippling over his skin as she feathered light kisses down his bare chest. Mmmm, oh, that woman. _Sins of the flesh_. He liked it.

It wasn't until those nimble fingers started to unbutton his trousers that he realized it wasn't a dream.

His whole body seized up as she pulled him out of his pants, his hips jerking up into the gentle, rhythmic squeeze of her palm. "Kate - _uhhhhhhh_ \- _Kate_ \- "

"You like that?" she murmured.

"Can't - Ka- _ohhhhh_ \- " he shuddered, fisting his hands in his sheet. "They might hear -"

She laughed, low and throaty.

"So be _quiet_."

And then her mouth was on him, all bursts of fire and hot wet heaviness, sucking slowly. He groaned, trying to stop his hips from bucking up into her, because she was _ohhhhhhh_ so horribly good at this.

Her tongue did _something_ and his vision went blurry, the tension spreading through his body as her head bobbed up and down, and he couldn't do it, couldn't -

Her cheeks hollowed again and he just let _go_ , releasing into her tight mouth with grunt, white spots dancing in his eyes as he tried to stay quiet while her throat muscles contracted around him.

She finally let him go and he lay back, breathing hard. Why - just - she -

"Well?"

He finally recovered enough to speak. "That was amazing."

She crawled up his chest, her lithe, smooth body rolling against his. The soft ends of her hair brushed against his skin as she leaned over to kiss him slowly.

"Go back to sleep, Captain."

* * *

When Mal stumbled into the galley to grab some food, he found Kaylee perched on the couch, Kate cross-legged on the floor in front of her as Kaylee braided her hair, chattering like a magpie.

"Ladies," he nodded, clearing his throat.

"Captain." Kate looked up at him with amusement in her soft eyes. "You sleep well?"

"I. Uh. Yes." Mal shot her a look he hoped said _Please don't tell my innocent young mechanic what you just did to me_. "Just came to get something to eat."

He rummaged through the pantry, not even trying not to eavesdrop. "Your hair's just so _pretty_ ," Kaylee cooed. "And so soft, and it even smells good!"

Mal swallowed hard, leaning on the counter for a moment.

Kate's hair _was_ soft.

* * *

That night, after they finished, she slumped onto his chest, gasping for breath. Her body was loose and liquid on his, all soft and pliant. Mal ran a slow hand over the curve of her spine. His brain was blank but for her, her skin, her silky hair, her sparkling eyes, the hitch in her breath when he had her close. The sting of her fingernails on his skin when she begged him _don't stop don't stop_ -

She rolled off his hips and landed neatly beside him. Bed wasn't big. He could still feel every inch of her against him, the hand curled gently over his chest. She got softer afterwards, draped over him so warm and lovely.

And she _talked_.

"You make me sleepy," she murmured, smiling into his chest. "You wear me out."

"My rugged manliness can be overwhelming." Mal grinned. "'Specially for a dainty little thing like yourself."

She snorted. "You're calling me _dainty?_ After I just climbed on top of you and -"

"Hey now. No need to be shouting it." He tugged her closer and smothered her words with a brief kiss. "It ain't ladylike."

She slid her hand lower over his ribs and he gasped, clutching at her wrist. She just grinned archly. "You've already seen me do some fairly unladylike things in this bed, Captain."

He chuckled, the laughter rumbling deep in his chest. "That's true."

Kate leaned against his chest, stifling a yawn, and he was about to untangle himself and find his clothes when something occurred to him. And normally he wouldn't say it, but here, in this quiet, warm atmosphere with her, it just slipped out. "You call me 'Captain' most times. Even here. Like this."

She blinked up at him, her hazel-green eyes already growing hazy with sleep. "Well - I guess I do."

"Some reason?" Did she - not like his name? Did she not know it?

She hummed, reaching up to trail her fingers gently down the line of his jaw. "Not sure, really. I just thought it suited you." Her lips curved up in a sleepy smile. "You don't like it?"

"No - no, I do." He sat up, running a hand through his hair. All right. Fair. He _was_ a captain, after all. "I like it."

"Good." She sighed, her head settling into the pillow where his had been. "I like you."

He pressed one last kiss to her lips before slipping out and back to his own quarters.

He didn't know what it was now. But she didn't seem to, either.

Maybe for the time being, they could just not know together.


	12. Chapter 12

Raglan was a small world, quiet. Good place not to attract attention. Mal had run a job there once, a long time before. Didn't look like it had changed much. The original settlers had cultivated forests and some vast prairie lands, some farms, and there were even a few decent-sized cities, all designated by number. Apparently the original settlers didn't care to waste time digging up poetic names.

Wash guided the ship easily to the surface, settling her in a patch of fresh, grassy meadow. They were set to drop off the package in the city called Twelve; he found a nice spot just past the outskirts.

They were plenty early, so most of the crew took the chance to step outside and get some fresh air. Mal squinted up at the blue sky, the wispy clouds. "Beautiful day. Ain't it a beautiful day, Jayne?"

"I don't like it."

"That's the good cheer I expect from you, Jayne. Shepherd?"

Shepherd Book folded his arms. "I've never been here, but I've heard good things. Who knows, Captain. Maybe this oddly-not-illegal mission will work out after all."

"You tryin' to tell me something, Shepherd?"

"Not at all, Captain." The Shepherd grinned, his eyes twinkling. "Just enjoying the sunshine like any other law-abiding citizen. No sermon here."

* * *

Beckett switched off the radio and sat back. "Okay. Two hours."

Mal nodded. "So have you met this friend of Montgomery's?"

"Smith? No. Just heard his name." Kate leaned back in her seat. "Roy said they're old friends. He said Smith even danced at his wedding, a long time ago."

"And you're willing to walk into this blind?"

She flicked him a cool glance. "If Roy trusts him, then I trust him."

* * *

When he got to the speeder, Kate was almost ready to leave, her precious, unknown cargo strapped into place. "Well. You goin' somewhere, little lady?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Fixing to join you, Miss Beckett. It being such a nice day to hand-deliver mysterious, weird, dangerous things to shadowy men."

"You're not coming with me."

Kaylee and Zoe were standing nearby, staring openly. They weren't used to seeing someone dismiss their captain quite so handily.

Mal grumbled. _Stop arguing, woman_. "I'm coming along. You might need backup."

She let out an exasperated noise. "You know he said no weapons, right?"

"And I brought none. In spite of Jayne's suggestions, I might add. I'm coming to protect you."

Her lips twitched. "What, with your vast arsenal of rapier wit?"

He glared at her. "I _ain't_. Leaving you. Alone."

Kate huffed, shaking her head. "Fine. I don't feel like arguing. Let's go."

"Alright. You can hop in, and we can -"

"I'm driving."

Before he could argue, she was in the driver's seat, looking back at him like he was some particularly slow child. "Are you coming, or what?"

* * *

They were nearing the coordinates Smith gave her when she finally spoke. "Why are you here?"

"Told you."

"Right. 'Protection.'" She cast a sideways glance at him. "You could have sent Jayne with me."

"He'd try to seduce you. Wouldn't be pretty."

"That sounded jealous."

Mal glared at her, but she was smiling, her eyes dancing, as she continued. "Or Zoe. Didn't have to be you. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were assuming we had some kind of personal connection."

"Well, seeing as we did some pretty energetic connecting last night -"

" _Captain_." She shot him a baleful glance, but she was blushing, biting her lip, and she was just so gorram adorable he really desperately wanted to kiss her even more.

She didn't press the question, though. Mal was thankful. He wasn't sure he had an answer.

At least, not one he was going to admit.

* * *

They pulled up to the building - a warehouse, tucked on one side of town - and he saw her take a deep breath, steady herself, squaring her shoulders. "Let's do this."

There was a guard at the door, some guy who seemed to recognize Kate; she explained who they were and he brought them inside. The warehouse was - well, empty. Mal snuck a look around. Plenty of space, but not much inside it. Odd.

"Do you think this is - "

"Shhhh." Beckett set her hand on his arm, looking around, her face drawn in concentration. "Do you hear that?"

Mal stopped and listened. Quiet - all quiet - wait a second.

There it was. Something low. Deep. Rumbling.

Almost like –

He looked back up at her. "Is that - _growling?"_

Kate frowned. "That sort of - sounds like a - like an animal. A big one."

Mal's hand instinctively went to his side - but no, he left his pistol. No weapons. Damn. He didn't like this.

"Well, does sound like it's on the other side of the wall. That's nice," he offered.

Kate let out a soft chuckle. "Let's hope it stays that way."

"Kate Beckett. Thank you for coming."

They whirled around to find a man standing there in a dimly-lit corner of the warehouse. Mal squinted, but he couldn't get a good look at his face - just a solitary figure, standing there watching them.

"Mr. Smith." Kate took a step forward. Mal followed, but he wished she'd stop moving. He was here to protect her. She wasn't making it easier by constantly walking ahead of him. "Roy Montgomery says hello."

"Tell him I say the same." Smith's voice was milder than Mal had expected, for a figure he'd built up so spectacularly in his mind. "You have something for me, I think."

"I do."

Kate handed over the parcel. Smith took it, turning it over slowly. "I've been waiting for this." He paused. "Do you know what it is?"

"No," Kate said quietly. "Roy didn't tell me. And I didn't ask."

Smith nodded. "You know, he's mentioned you. Says you're his best agent."

"He's a good boss."

"So who's your bodyguard here?" Smith took a look at Mal. "I don't recall Roy sending two deliveryfolk."

Kate grinned. "This is Mal Reynolds. He captains _Serenity_ , the ship that brought me."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Smith," Mal piped up cheerily. If the guy had wanted to kill them, they'd be dead now. They were most likely safe. "You got some grouchy sort of pet behind that wall?"

"Oh, that? That's just my tiger."

Right. Of course. "If I might ask - there some reason you've got a tiger around here?"

Smith smiled faintly. "That's a different story, Captain."

* * *

It wasn't until they got back outside, climbed into their vehicle, and Kate started driving away, that Mal finally spoke.

"I've got a whole lot of questions."

"Yeah. So do I," she said quietly.

"You really don't know what that thing was?"

She shook her head.

"Roy doesn't tell me everything."


	13. Chapter 13

Back at the ship, they discovered Wash, Zoe, Jayne, Kaylee and Simon playing one of their hybrid, rule-less sports with a ball and a makeshift goal in the grassy field, while River sat in the grass, plucking flowers.

Zoe was the first to see them. She waved as the vehicle came to a halt and Mal and Kate climbed out. "Hold up, everyone. Our errand-boy's back. How was it, sir?"

"It was - easy." Mal paused. "It was _real_ easy. Almost made me anxious."

"No troubles, then?" Zoe folded her arms, incredulous. "I don't think I even know what that's like anymore."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Well, there _was_ a tiger."

"Ooooh!" Kaylee's eyes went wide as she scraped her hair off her sweaty face. "Was it pretty?"

"We didn't get a look at it." Kate smiled dryly. "Besides. It's not bright to pet a tiger."

Jayne scowled. "That's it? No fighting? What in hell took so ruttin' long, then?"

Mal shrugged. "The drive was a little slower than we figured."

That was...somewhat factual. He hadn't planned that halfway back to the ship, she'd pull off the road and slide into his lap.

* * *

Kaylee and Shepherd Book took the chance to go into town and pick up some fresh foodstuffs, and that evening, they had an easy dinner aboard ship.

Mal sat at the head of the table, as usual. And Kate - Kate was tucked between Wash and a happily chattering Kaylee. Jayne sat across from her, fixedly staring at her chest as he shoveled food into his mouth.

For his part, Mal concentrated on eating and talking to Wash and Zoe. Kate was looking entirely too lovely, with the soft sweep of her hair, the exquisite grace of her slim hands. The soft blush in her cheeks when she caught him staring at her. He couldn't help it. His whole body was flush, alive with the vivid tactile memory of her mouth parting under his and the soft tug of her teeth at his ear, because apparently she couldn't sit beside him for half an hour without turning into a quiet alley, sliding her hand between his legs, and forcing her tongue down his throat.

He snapped out of his reverie to find Zoe staring at him expectantly. "Captain?"

"Sorry." He cleared his throat. "Lost my train of thought. What did you say?"

* * *

Mal couldn't sleep that night.

He turned over in his bunk, punching his pillow half-heartedly. He hadn't...well...been with Kate. He was afraid they might get caught, everything being so quiet without the regular engine noise and sounds of flight. He'd started wondering if it might help to take off his boots, or maybe take a less direct route to the passenger quarters. When he started to consider crawling through maintenance hatches, it suddenly occurred to him that he was plotting a secret route through his own gorram ship to have sex with a woman. Like some pathetic teenager. He gritted his teeth and folded his hands on his chest. This was ridiculous. He could last one night without her. He could.

Two hours later, he sighed, sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes. Damn it. _Damn_ it.

Deciding it must be the stale air, he tugged on his boots. He couldn't find his shirt, so with a shrug, he climbed out. The ship was still; he didn't see anyone as his footsteps echoed along the passageways.

He ended up outside. It was a clear night, pleasantly warm, and the air smelled fresh. He took a deep breath. Smelled like the prairies back on Shadow, all rich, fragrant cool breeze. Felt like the whole world was breathing deep and slow. And for a moment he was back on the ranch, sinking into all those stars, into the vast coolness that filled his skin and made everything -

"You couldn't sleep either?"

Of course it was her.

She stepped in beside him, wearing that soft grey robe, her arms folded over her chest.

"Figured I could use some fresh air," he replied. She was even more unbearably beautiful under the cool starlight, her eyes deep and dark, shadows over the elegant lines of her cheekbones, her skin clear like some kind of porcelain. The night breeze lifted her hair off her shoulders; his fingers itched to brush back the loose tendrils that fell over her cheeks.

She smiled up at him, the gentle, soft smile that made her look impossibly sweet and girlish and just so _perfect_. "It's a really lovely night."

The stupid came out before he could stop it. Words with a mind of their own. "It ain't as lovely as you."

Her mouth opened in a soft _O_ of surprise, and for a painfully long minute he felt all the stupid inside him, all that desperation clawing at the inside of his chest, the wanting for something, something he didn't even know but he _wanted_ so badly he could taste it.

But then he felt slim arms around his waist, the gentle pressure of her touch, the silky fabric of her robe against his bare skin as she stepped into the warmth of his body. She was all soft lines and lissome beauty. He could feel her mouth against his shoulder, ghosting a kiss, curving up in a soft smile. "Awfully poetic of you, Captain."

"I'm wildly artistic in the moonlight, you'll find." He smoothed his hand over her silky hair. It smelled like flowers. "One of my more unexpected traits."

* * *

He wasn't sleepy. He hadn't been anyway, and he certainly wasn't going to choose his lumpy bed now over the warm body curled around his.

They were sprawled on a smooth patch of grass near the ship, her head pillowed on his shoulder as she traced faint patterns on his chest, her fingers lingering over the scar on the right side of his chest. She didn't ask about it.

"It looks dusty."

The soft motion of her fingers stopped. "What?"

"Sky." His mouth had apparently just decided to talk on tonight. All her fault, he thought. "So many stars. Almost looks dusty."

"Mmm. I guess it does."

It was cool enough he almost wanted his shirt, but with the warm weight of her draped against him, it wasn't so bad. Not when he could see the faint traces of shooting stars. Mal got antsy sometimes when he was planetside too long, but this - this was right. So much sky. This he could get used to.

Eventually the soft, even breathing beside him slowed. He bit back a grin, rubbing her shoulder. "Kate. You best go back in, if you're gonna fall asleep."

"Mmm." She yawned, burrowing her head against his chest contentedly. "Too bad. It's nice out here." She reluctantly untangled herself from him and sat up, brushing her hair back gracefully. "You want to walk me to my room, kind sir?"

It was a bad idea but he did, walking beside her faithfully. He almost held her hand. Almost.

He wasn't sure what she meant by _walk me to my room_ \- was it an invitation? - was he supposed to -

But instead, they stopped outside the passenger rooms, and she stretched up on her toes to kiss him, long and slow. Her mouth was soft, her skin cool from the night air. Gorgeous.

She pulled away, biting her lip almost shyly. "Good night, Captain."

"Night."

He watched her go, his whole mind a mess. Because that kiss - that was far, far too much.


	14. Chapter 14

They took off in the morning,through a mild rainy sky. Mal braced his hand on the com to balance himself as Wash eased the ship through the grey turbulence, into the rich, golden-white upper clouds, and finally past the bumpy atmo into the perfect glittering forever of the stars.

He sighed. He was getting to be much too poetic.

Her fault.

* * *

In the cargo bay, he discovered Kate and Kaylee doing - something.

He was hazy on most the details, because the only one he was really noticing was how it involved less clothes on Kate Beckett. She'd tossed off her regular shirt and was wearing just some light, skimpy thing, something that showed off her toned arms, slim shoulders, the sweat beaded at the dip of her throat, her hair messily scraped back out of her eyes. Her face was flushed from exertion, her eyes sparkling as she noticed him watching from the stairs. "Captain. Nice to see you."

"Kaylee, ain't you supposed to be keeping us from exploding?"

"Everything's fine, Captain!" Kaylee grinned up at him. "Kate's showin' me how to protect myself from marauding evildoers!"

"Is she, now?"

Kate laughed, patting Kaylee on the shoulder. "Just some basic self-defense moves. She's a quick learner."

"Watch this! Come on, let's - yeah, that one -"

Kate obligingly feigned an exaggeratedly slow frontal attack, and Kaylee clumsily grasped at her forearm, turned swiftly, and (clearly with Kate's generous cooperation) managed to twist her arm around until Kate was immobilized. Well. Sort of. She stopped moving, anyway.

"Real well done, Kaylee." Mal clapped slowly. "I'm trembling in my boots, personally. Very fearsome."

"I _am_. So you best not cross me." Kaylee brushed her hair back, beaming proudly.

"What's this?" Jayne's voice boomed through the hangar as he came clomping down the stairs. "What'd I miss?"

"Kate's teachin' me how to fight!"

That got a grin from Jayne. A predatory grin. "You're a fighter?"

She eyed him coolly. "I can handle myself."

"How about we go a few rounds, since you're already nice and scanty-dressed there?" He leered at her. "Get nice and sweaty together?"

Mal almost choked, but Kate just shrugged. "Fine. Let's go."

Jayne bounded down the stairs noisily, ripping off his t-shirt gleefully. Oh come _on_. Kate seemed to feel the same way; she rolled her eyes, a smile playing over her lips. "You sure you want to try this, Jayne? I could take it easy on you if you'd rather."

Jayne ran his eyes over her appreciatively. "You do anything you want to me, darlin'. I'd even be happy to let you spank me."

Mal suddenly got the delightful premonition that Kate was going to school Jayne's cocky ass.

* * *

Minutes later, Jayne was sprawled on his stomach, wheezing desperately as Kate knelt calmly, her knee planted firmly in his back. "Sorry, Jayne. What was that you were saying?"

"Come on, let me go!" he yelped. "This ain't hot! It _hurts!_ "

She finally relented, letting him free, and Jayne scrambled to his feet, grumbling as he grabbed his shirt and stormed out.

Mal turned back to Kate, all flushed and panting, her hair plastered to her neck. She flicked a lazy glance up at him, biting her lip. Oh. Wow.

Stunning.

He wanted. He wanted - just -

"Quite some show, K- Beckett." His voice was hoarse. Damn. Sounded like a damn teenager. "I'm impressed." _Impressed_. Pale word for what exactly was stirring in him right now.

She ran her hands over her slick, sweaty arms, looking down at herself in distaste. "He had to take his shirt off?"

Kaylee piped up from her seat on the floor. "Sorry. Probably should have warned you, Jayne was hoping that would lead straight into some sex."

"Yeah. I figured that out the fourth time he grabbed at my chest." Kate reached up, tugging her hair loose, letting it spill over her shoulders. "It was fun, Kaylee, but I'm going to go take a shower."

She shot Mal a dark look as she left.

Wait.

Did she mean -

* * *

She did.

He'd stood in the cargo bay for a long while, staring like an idiot, before he finally manned up and followed her to the passenger quarters. This was a stupid idea, so stupid, she was going to kill him (and now he'd seen just how easily she could do it) and why was he even -

The doors had just barely shut behind him when she was on him, furious, her mouth plundering his savagely as she tore at his clothes with eager fingers.

"Eager, are you?"

"Shut _up_ ," she hissed, shoving her hand down his pants.

"I think I wanna get sweaty with you, Kate," he hissed, biting on her ear. She shuddered.

"How about you help me wash it off instead?"

* * *

He pinned her up against the wall of the shower, hot water and steam scalding as he sucked at her neck. She whimpered against him, twisting under his grip. He was hot for it. Watching her grapple with another man, all sweaty and lithe muscles and so _flexible_ -

She moaned when he slid into her, rough, possessive, because he was done watching her touching anyone else and this sexy fierce woman was _his_. Her strong thighs tightened around his waist, her back arching as she flexed around him. He rolled his hips into her slowly, drawing a long, high-pitched noise from the back of her throat. Her fingernails scraped into his back, and even as he moved inside her it was so close to over. He was in sensory overload, the blazing water sluicing over his back, the slick friction of her skin on his, the want coiled tight and hard inside him, the hot, tight sheath of her squeezing him, the breathy pleading in his ear.  
He thrust into her one last time and she seized up around him and he was _gone_ , spasming, coming so hard he almost blacked out.

Mal finally came back to himself and realized she was pushing weakly at his chest. "Can - need to -"

"Uh. Right." He eased her to the floor, immediately catching the little shudder, the stumble as her knees faltered for a moment. She leaned into his chest, breathing deeply.

"You _do_ like it rough," she murmured, pressing a soft kiss to his wet skin.

"Any time you want to grapple, let me know."

* * *

"Don't go."

"What?" He froze in the doorway. What - what was she -

"Captain. Your hair is wet. You planning to explain that to the others?"

"Oh." That - made sense. "Right. Yes. Well."

She smiled, a soft, amused smile he really wanted to just kiss right off her face. "Why don't you just stick around and let it dry for a few minutes?"

"I - okay?"

He sat gingerly on the edge of one of the beds as Kate finished tugging on a clean shirt and twisted the long rope of her hair, wringing out the water.  
"You're from Shadow, aren't you?"

"What?" Mal blinked. How did she know that? "Uh, yes."

"I thought so. Your accent." Kate stepped out of the bathroom. Her damp hair curled over her shoulders, leaving dark water spots on her shirt. "Nice place. My dad lives there now."

"But you talk like Central folk."

She nodded, sitting across from him and folding her long legs gracefully under herself. "Good guess. I grew up there. What else do you think you know?"

At first he was at a loss. But then he saw the soft glint of the chain under her shirt. Remembered the scar. And the story. "I think that necklace you have is your mother's ring. 'S why you're so protective of it."

Her lips curved up in a sad smile, a heavy half-moon, her eyes full of muted darkness. "Right again."

His throat closed up, the sadness just too much. He couldn't bear the images flicking through his mind, the picture of a young woman with her life torn apart. This gorgeous, perfect woman, in all her brilliant beauty, carrying a murdered woman's ring around her throat across the whole 'verse.

She should have better.

His eyes stung and he needed them not to, needed to not be filled with hopelessness, and in desperation he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.  
"What was she like?"

Kate looked up at him, startled, her eyes wide. "What?"

"Your - your mother. If you don't mind." He swallowed. "What was she like?"

* * *

By the time he left, his hair had been dry for a while. There was a lightness clinging to him. Something about the way she smiled, the dancing in her eyes, the memories that spilled out of her like sunlight. She was -

"Captain."

He almost ran into River, who stood looking up at him expectantly. "Watch out, there. Wouldn't want to get yourself run over."

"Here."

She held out her hand. Balanced on her palm was a delicate little blossom of folded paper, small and careful and all crisp white angles, a perfect, pristine lotus.  
"Oh. That's - very pretty."

"For you to give her."

"For - huh?"

The girl gave him a crooked smile, her head cocked to one side. "She'll think it's sweet."

* * *

The next morning at breakfast, Mal saw the dark red mark on one side of her neck, not quite hidden under the soft curtain of her hair.

Damn.

He tried to stop staring at it. Did nobody else see it? No one said a thing.

After utterly failing to catch her attention at the table, Mal ducked after her when she left, catching up halfway down the hall. "Kate?"

She turned, surprised. She hadn't realized he'd followed her. "Hmm?"

"You, uh. Your - your neck."

"My what?" Her fingers crept over her skin, searching for whatever it was. "What -"

"You have a - "

Her lips curled into a teasing little smile. "You got a little overzealous? How bad is it?"

"Maybe just keep your hair over it?"

"Fine." She grinned, biting her lip, stealing a hand over his chest. "You keep your mouth to yourself, then."


	15. Chapter 15

If he'd had any lingering ideas about the return trip being different, they disappeared that night, about four seconds after she climbed into his bed and straddled his hips.

* * *

The week was a blur, quiet days of easy flight, nights rolling in her sheets in a sweaty tangle. With the weight of the job off her shoulders Kate seemed brighter somehow, lighter. Free. She smiled more, her eyes sparkled, and in bed - _oh_. He thought she was good before.

He had no _idea_.

She wore him out so much now that one night he fell asleep in her bed. He was usually careful; he went back to his room when they were done. But he'd just shut his eyes for a moment, enjoying the warmth of her body draped over his, and then he was waking up with her nuzzling his shoulder, her eyelashes brushing against him softly, her hand splayed over his ribs.

His eyes lit on the little pile of her things on one of the other beds. The little paper lotus was sitting there. When he'd put it into her hands, she'd kissed him.

The peaceful softness of the memory swept over him for a long moment, fuzzy, groggy, and he felt so good and so warm, he couldn't remember why he hadn't woken like this befo-

No.

His whole body seized up in panic. Asleep. He fell asleep, he spent the night, no no _no_.

With a heavy sigh, Mal reluctantly untangled himself from her. She took a deep breath, her hands curling in the pillow as she murmured something unintelligible. Gorgeous. So beautiful.

He threw on his clothes quickly and hesitated for a moment before kneeling beside the bed, rubbing her shoulder gently. "Kate? Beckett?"

"Mmm. Captain?" Her eyes slowly flickered open, rich and green and gold, still hazy with sleep. He couldn't stop himself, reaching one hand to trace the line of her cheek.

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep. I should go."

She hummed low in her throat. "Hmm. 'Kay."

"You're pretty in the morning," he whispered. Gentle, sleepy thing, all warm and soft and skin and-

She sighed, didn't react. Mal took a deep breath and leaned over, pressing a light kiss to her lips.

He made himself leave.

* * *

Mal took his night shift without complaint, thinking she'd probably appreciate a break from the constant - exercise - they'd been sharing. Right. One night apart. Couldn't be bad.

He figured out that he was wrong somewhere between her slipping into the cockpit and her kneeling between his legs.

He swore and groaned and tried to tell her this was a bad idea, but she ignored him, and his protests died on his lips as her mouth started working around him.

Helpless under her slow, wet torture, Mal threaded his fingers through her hair and just gave in, staring through the window as she sucked and sucked. His body coiled tighter and tighter until he finally couldn't stop it anymore, coming completely undone, fingers clenching her hair, and then all he could see were stars.

* * *

"One more day to Semper, Captain." Wash yawned. "Not an Alliance cruiser in sight, either. Though if Beckett distracted 'em with her chest again, I wouldn't m- _ow_ , woman."

He pouted, rubbing the ear Zoe had just twisted. She ignored him. "What that man is trying to say is it's been nice having a passenger so genial."

"Sure has." Mal tightened his grip on the arms of his chair, keeping his eyes on the stars outside. Long, easy silence settled in as the three of them just sat, watching space go by.

After a long moment, Zoe finally cleared her throat. "Sir, I'm not quite sure how to say thi-"

"We know you're sleeping with the new girl," Wash piped up.

Mal froze, his throat closing up, his knuckles in a tight deathgrip on the chair's arms. No. "What are you talking about?"

Zoe swatted Wash's shoulder. "That's no way to address the captain."

Mal let out a breath. "Thanks." Maybe he was just -

"But he's right, Mal. We know you've been givin' her hospitality of the sexual type."

Mal flinched as Wash laughed. "Good one, wife. That was clever."

"You two - you - " Didn't seem to be any dignified way out of this. "How did you -"

Zoe shrugged. "If you meant it to be secret, shouldn't have been biting her hard enough to leave marks. Not where we can see 'em, anyhow."

Mal swore at himself. Idiot. _Idiot_. That day in the shower, when he couldn't keep his mouth off her -

"Well," Wash drawled, "to be fair, that wasn't the only sign."

His day was officially, irreversibly shot to hell. "What?"

Zoe gave him a baleful look, leaning back in her seat. "Sir. Ain't exactly a soundproof ship. We've heard you getting up in the night and heading back to passenger. Then coming back. Wasn't hard to connect the dots."

"Not even a little bit," Wash agreed.

Mal groaned, rubbing his face. It was too much to hope they'd managed to escape notice. Of course, Zoe and Wash were comrades. Not the end of the world. "Can I at least depend on you two to not broadcast this?"

Wash coughed. Zoe twisted her hands.

His stomach sank. "Oh, don't tell me -"

"Actually, Captain, at this point we're pretty sure Jayne is the only one who _doesn't_ know."

"Everyone?" He wanted to die. He wanted to sink straight through the floor. "How -"

"River - " Wash shrugged. "Not sure about her. She's a puzzle. But she figured it out somehow. So then she told Simon. But he said he knew when Beckett came to him with torn stitches."

Mal winced. "The Shepherd?"

Zoe tried very hard to hide a smile. "Said he figured it out the first morning he saw you two talking."

Ohhhhhhhhh. Damn. He'd thought they were so subtle. Was there more than one special kind of hell? "Well - wait, even Kaylee?"

Wash made an uncomfortable noise. Zoe let out a half-chuckle, finally looking Mal in the eye. "Kaylee - made the most direct discovery."

Oh, no. No. That couldn't mean - "She - "

"- walked into passenger quarters and saw you two in the shower? Yes," Wash finished helpfully.

Mal cringed, wondering just how much she'd seen. That explained why she'd been quieter than usual the past few days. Poor Kaylee. Girl didn't need to be knowing things about him. Not like - that.

"Like I said," Zoe said gently. "Pretty sure Jayne doesn't know."

"I think maybe we'd best keep it that way. I don't reckon his intellect needs to get taxed with this." Mal shifted uneasily in his chair. "You know, he tried to buy my wife with his favorite gun, that one time I was sort of married. Before she went around tryin' to kill us, that is."

"Was it last night, Zoe? - he asked us some _very_ explicit questions about what we thought Beckett might be willing to do in bed." Wash shuddered. "Still trying to get rid of those images."

"There there, honey. Play with your dinosaurs." Zoe patted his shoulder. "But I think you're safe for now, Mal. Course, only one more day. If Jayne's really interested, my guess is, he'll try something fairly obvious."

"Offer her a gun in exchange for some personal time?"

She snorted. "Something like that."

"And by gun you mean - "

"-let's just not go to a clear definition of that."

* * *

Mal didn't see Kate again until that night. He slipped into passenger quarters as usual, and sure enough, she was waiting. Her eyes lit up when he walked in, and she slid out of bed, coming to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Hey there, sinner," she murmured, pressing her mouth to his throat. Her tongue flicked over the thrumming of his pulse point, and he groaned, his hips canting roughly into hers.

"You're making me crazy, Kate." He nipped at her ear.

"I know."

She pulled him back to the bed and pushed him down to the mattress, crawling over his body with a predatory grin. "You want _crazy_ , Mal Reynolds?"

Oh, no. Not this time, Kate. Mal curled his arm around her waist and rolled them over. It caught her offguard, leaving her gasping under him, her lovely hair haloed around her face. He dipped his head to lick at her collarbone, tugging aside her robe to taste more of her silky skin. " _Oh_ ," she breathed, her fingers flexing at his neck. "- _ohhhhhhh_ \- "

"What in the _hell?_ "

Mal froze. Oh no.

Still nestled between her knees, he craned his neck, looking back at the door, to find a dumbfounded, slack-jawed, shirtless Jayne Cobb.

"Uh. Jayne. Hi." Mal shifted, trying to block Kate from view as much as her could, because as gorgeous as she was right now, all flustered and disheveled and close to naked, he didn't want to risk losing her attention. Or letting Jayne see...things. She wasn't exactly _modest_ at this point.

"What in hell's going on here?"

Not a lot of options. "Uh - well, pretty much exactly what it looks like."

"Awww, come on, Mal! I called dibs the day we saw her!"

Mal gritted his teeth. "She has a _name_ , Jayne."

"Yeah, and she's also got an ass. And if I can't have the one, why bother with the other?"

"Jayne." Kate's voice was clear and sharper than Mal had ever heard it, suddenly filled with an authority that made his blood go hot because _wow_ she was ordering someone around while still lying in bed under him looking thoroughly sinful. "I'm flattered. But as you can see, I'm with someone else."

"Awwww, don't you want to at least think about it?" Jayne whined. "Try some variety?"

"No. Would you please leave? The captain and I would like to be alone now."

Jayne started at the steely, silky command in her tone. "Well - well, fine." He huffed. "I'll be in my bunk."

He turned on his heel and left. Mal let out a deep breath. "Sorry about that."

"What did he mean, he'll 'be in his b-'"

"Better that you don't ask."

"Mmm. Alright." Kate reached up for him, sliding his suspenders off his shoulders. "So where were we?"

"Uhhhh." His brain ground to a halt when she hooked her fingers in his waistband and tugged. "Crazy. You were makin' me crazy."

"Right."

By the time Mal discovered she wasn't wearing anything under the robe, he was a mess, hands shaking, his whole body unbearably hot, rough against hers. She traced her tongue over his lips, tugged at his earlobe with her teeth, and just when he thought he couldn't bear any more, she hooked a knee around his leg and flipped them over. It knocked the wind out of him; he stared up at her, smirking and lovely and glowing as she straddled his hips, grinding her body down on the growing bulge in his trousers. His eyes rolled back in his head at the sudden wave of pressure, right where he wanted it. "Kate - Kate, you can't keep doing that - "

"Getting a little - excited, Captain?" She leaned over and kissed him, slow and deep and dirty. "Afraid you might shoot too soon?"

" _Unnnnnhhhh_." He let out a choked noise as she tugged his trousers open and wrapped her fist around him, squeezing gently. "Gotta let me breathe, Kate. Unless you just wanna cuddle."

When she finally, _finally_ rose up on her knees and sank onto him, he groaned, his hips jerking involuntarily. She gasped, clenching around him, and it took all his scant self-control to keep himself from finishing right then. She was overwhelming, the hot wet glove of her stretching to fit him, and as she let out a sigh and relaxed, letting him further in, he gripped her thighs, his abdominal muscles so tight they hurt.

Her hips twisted, some smooth shift he didn't understand and couldn't explain but it felt amazing, so tight and good around him, and the sight of her, flushed, panting, swaying above him, was too much. He hoped she was close, because - "Kate - _uhhhhh_ \- if you don't - I can't - "

She bit her lip, and at first he wasn't sure, but then she planted her hands on his chest and lifted her hips, raising off him just enough that he groaned. And when he couldn't bear it anymore, she sank back down _hard_ , plunging him deep into her wetness in a hot, rough thrust that finished them both.

Kate slumped onto his chest, boneless and limp. Her hair tickled his chest. Her heart was hammering against his chest, and her ribs expanding into his as she breathed.

"Wow." He was relatively certain he might have died and ended up in heaven.

"Yeah." She sighed. Her fingers traced some light, swirling pattern on his sweaty shoulder. "Yeah."

* * *

Kate fell asleep draped over him, her hand pressed to the scar on his chest. He stayed awake for a long time.

They hadn't really talked about it. About how this was temporary. About how she would be leaving. About how he was finding himself feeling things he had no business feeling, and the way she smiled at him just made it worse.

About how they probably shouldn't have started doing this in the first place.

He probably should have left.

He stayed.


	16. Chapter 16

Breakfast that morning was silent until Jayne finally spoke up.

"So Mal, is she a good lay?"

Mal choked abruptly on his coffee. Kaylee gasped.

Zoe shot Jayne a warning glance. "Jayne. Shut your mouth." Mal stole a look at Kate. She was staring at the table, her face frozen, looking like she wanted to vanish.

"Wait a gorram minute. You knew?" Jayne slammed his cup on the table. "You knew they was humpin' in that bed, this whole time?"

"Jayne," Kaylee hissed. "That ain't nice."

"I don't rightly _care_ ," he scowled.

"Jayne Cobb." Mal's voice was icy. "Walk out of here now."

Jayne threw down his fork and shoved his chair back. "Fine. I get it. Inara leaves, so you grab the first piece of -"

Before Mal could think about it, he was out of his seat and his fist was in Jayne's jaw.

It was sort of a blur after that, yelling and fighting and other people yelling. Finally Zoe and Kate were holding Mal back while the Shepherd and Wash shoved Jayne out of the galley. Mal shrugged off their gentle hands. His face hurt, his fist was burning, and blind rage was roiling through his body, hot and hurting.

"Captain? You all right?" Kate tipped his face up gently, peering over the sore skin. "Zoe, is there ice?"

Zoe obligingly dug through the freezer, and together she and Kate cobbled together compresses for his face and hand. Mal hissed in pain as sharp cold shot through his fingers. _"Damn_ it."

"Just relax." Kate pressed the other bundle of ice to his cheek gently. "You outdid yourself there, you know?"

"He shouldn't have said it."

"No. He shouldn't." She pursed her lips. "But you didn't need to go all caveman there."

"He was talkin' about you."

"I know." Kate pulled the ice away momentarily, brushing her fingertips in a soothing whisper over his skin. He caught his breath. "But it doesn't bother me. He's just angry."

He swallowed, curling his fingers around her wrist to hold her still. She needed to know. "He said - he talked about Inara - I just want you to know - it ain't like that. He's wrong. We - never - "

"I know," she said simply. "Kaylee told me about her. I know." Her eyes sparkled. "And remember, Captain. I've been perfectly willing in all of this."

He couldn't help but grin at that. _Yeah_ she had. "I could tell."

Zoe coughed uncomfortably. "Right. So. Simon, how about we leave the happy couple to talk about their good times in private?"

Now that they were finally alone, Mal looked at her curiously. Kate was still smiling softly, a gentle, faint curve of her lips as she ducked her head and held the ice carefully to his knuckles. Ouch. He had to stop punching people. Hurt too much to be practical. "You're smiling."

She quirked an eyebrow at him, and he was struck for the thousandth time at how lovely she was when she was laughing at him. "I can't believe you got into a fight to defend my honor."

"Is that what I was doing?"

"Looked like it." She tugged playfully at his waistband, pulling his hips into hers. "It was - kinda sweet."

 _"Sweet?_ I'm not sweet, woman," he scoffed. "I'm rugged. And manly."

Kate nuzzled his neck, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to his throat. "Mmm. And sweet."

"Fine." Mal slid his uninjured hand over the line of her back. "Just don't tell my crew."

* * *

They landed on Semper, near the outskirts of Caybee, not long after sunrise. Montgomery answered their radio. He agreed to send his guys Ryan and Espo to deliver the balance of payment, and pick up Beckett to take her back to town.

Mal flexed his bruised hand. He winced.

They were taking Beckett back to town.

* * *

Ryan and Espo showed up about an hour later, arguing good-naturedly. They handed over some hefty pouches of coin, food, and even what looked suspiciously like particularly high-quality alcohol. "Well." Mal forced out a chuckle, carefully not looking at Kate's little satchel of things sitting on the floor. "Roy's a generous man."

"Certainly is," Espo nodded. "If you're not keen on leaving immediately, come into town tonight. He owns a few places. There's a little tavern called Pearl & Mutter. If you're looking for drinks and company, it's a nice place."

Mal nodded hesitantly. "We'll see you there."

* * *

Kate walked off Serenity with her boys and without kissing him.

Mal watched her go, a hopeless, stupid wave of something tightening his chest, thudding against his ribs. Jayne came to stand beside him, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Uh. Mal. Just - wanted to - to say I'm sorry for being stupid earlier. Sayin' what I did. It weren't called for."

Mal nodded. "You should say that more to Kate than me. Least I got to hit you."

Jayne snorted. "I did tell her, actually. She was real nice about it. 'Sides. She already threw my ass onto the ground, if you'll recall."

"That she did." Mal sighed, staring off into the dusty horizon.

"You look moony," Jayne huffed. "What, you in love with her or somethin'?"

"Don't be dense. It ain't like that."

Mal walked away with the uncomfortable feeling that he'd just lied.


	17. Chapter 17

Pearl & Mutter was noisy, comfortably crowded, and pleasantly lacking in people trying to shoot them.

Montgomery bought them all a round of drinks and waved Mal over, clinking glasses with him. "Reynolds, I can't thank you enough."

"No problem, sir. Happy to work with an honorable businessman."

Roy chuckled. "Well. Not sure about 'honorable,' but thank you."

"Your pal Smith sends his regards, by the way."

Montgomery nodded and took a long drink, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "You're not asking what it was you delivered, I notice."

"Not my job."

"And I appreciate that." Montgomery set his drink down and leaned in, lowering his voice. "All I'll tell you - and mind you, Reynolds, I won't say this again - but that parcel you delivered? You saved Kate Beckett's life."

Mal stared at him. Roy was serious. "What?"

Roy sighed, his eyes trained on the table. Was that - a flicker of guilt? "You aware of her story?"

"Uh - some. Came from Central, right?"

Roy nodded slowly. "And her mother?"

"She told me."

"There's more to that story."

A chill ran down Mal's spine. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something - "How much more?"

"Enough that I made sure to get her off of Central before she could find it. Or it could find her."

Mal sat back in his chair, clutching his glass with suddenly unsteady hands. Something chasing her this far, for this long. He was full of want, desperate want clawing at his chest to know what happened, who did this, who would shoot a mother and daughter in cold blood and then refuse to let it end there.

"I can see you wondering, Reynolds. And I'm telling you. Drop it. If you want her to stay alive." Roy fixed him with an intense stare. "If I hadn't pulled her out, she wouldn't have survived. Don't even think about crawling into this mess yourself."

"Right." He wasn't. He wouldn't. Of course. No reason to -

"Speaking of Beckett, she was sorry she couldn't come tonight."

"She - oh." Mal stared down at the table. Right. She wasn't coming. She was gone.

"But she asked me to send you to her place."

Mal choked on his drink.

Roy just chuckled. "I'm not going to ask. I'll just tell your crew not to wait for you; they can have rooms upstairs for the night, no problem. Besides. They seem pretty happy where they are. Especially that big, loud one."

Mal followed Roy's gaze to where Jayne was sprawled on a couch, some floozy redhead draped over his lap. Heh. Of course. "Jayne! You found a friend there?"

Jayne looked up, grinning. "Hey, Mal! This is Meredith. She's a whore!"

Mal nodded. "Nice to meet you."

"She says I can have a discount, an account of me bein' so good-lookin!"

"Ain't that nice." Mal raised his glass. "Hope you two are real happy together."

Roy was laughing as he reached into his shirt pocket. He handed over a folded paper. Mal opened it. It was an address.

"Go find her, captain."

* * *

The address was a modest-looking place just a street over. Mal took a deep breath and knocked at the door.

The door cracked open, and there she was.

When he got inside and pushed the door shut behind him, he froze for a moment.

 _Wow_.

He was used to that little robe she'd worn, but this - this _thing_ was black and lacy and thin and showing so _much_ of her. Instead of regular lights, the room was full of candles. They sent flickering, teasing shapes dancing over the walls and ceiling and threw soft gold light over her silky hair and her smooth skin. And her eyes, her eyes were huge, all dark and liquid shadow, and he had no words, not a single word, so he stepped in and cupped her face in his hands and kissed her instead.

She sighed into his mouth, her lips parting easily. He kissed her again, and again, before he finally broke it off to breathe, leaning his forehead against hers. "Nice place."

She laughed softly, her warm breath painting his face. "How about I show you the bedroom now?"

Mal growled appreciatively, sweeping an arm under her knees to lift her against his chest. She gasped, clutching at his shoulders for stability, and he kissed her again briefly. "Which way?"

* * *

Her bedroom was soft and dim and candlelit, gleaming rich wood and deep colors. Mal laid her onto the bed gently, but she had other ideas. She grabbed his hand and tugged, pulling him off-balance to he stumbled into bed with her. "Are you trying to take advantage of me, woman?"

She grinned, her tongue poking out over her lip. "Thought you wanted to do that to me, Captain."

"Mmm." He ran his tongue over the line of her throat, sucking lightly on the rapidly fluttering pulse point. "Definitely. Gonna do all manner of bad things to you."

Kate shuddered when he pulled her into his lap. Her knees slid easily around his waist, and she sank into him, hot friction between his legs that took his breath away.

"Mal." She whispered right into his ear, in a soft, breathy bedroom voice that sent his blood pooling south so fast he got dizzy.

"What?"

"We don't have to be quiet tonight."

He kissed her, slow and deep and thorough and drunk on the impossibly perfect sensation of simply being able to kiss her for as long as he wanted. He drank her in like water, caressing, seeking, taking. She tasted like cinnamon and sweetness and _her_. She sucked at his earlobe, nibbling softly, and tugged his shirt free, slowly pushing it over his head and tossing it aside. Her hands splayed over his chest, light and seeking, and he couldn't hold in a groan as her fingers teased over his abs. He grabbed her wrists, leaning over to pin them over her head as she fell onto the pillows beneath him, looking up at him, her green eyes hazy and dark with trembling need.

"Turn over," he breathed.

She _did._

Mal yanked at the laces of her lacy nightgown with strangely shaky hands, and as the fabric fell away his mouth went dry. He trailed his hand slowly down the line of her spine, the soft dimples, the expanse of smooth, creamy skin. His fingers brushed the flare of her back and she shuddered. He leaned in, pressing his mouth to her skin, laving his tongue over her, and he could feel the shiver that wracked her body, the slight arch in her back when he hit a sensitive dip. Gorgeous. _Gorgeous_.

He swept her hair over her shoulder and kissed her there too, straying to her throat, her ear, the edge of her jaw. Her breath was coming fast, and her hands were fisted in her pillow. "You doin' all right there?" he murmured into her throat.

"Shut up." But her voice came out in a wisp of air, soft and begging, and he grinned, sucking on her earlobe.

"You just seem a little - _ooof_."

Mal sputtered. He was a bit hazy what exactly just happened, but somehow she'd wrapped her arm around his neck and twisted her leg around his and rolled them over so he landed on his back. Damn.

She sat back on her heels easily, rising above him, long and lithe, and in one smooth motion she pulled off her nightgown. It slipped to the floor beside the bed and he just gaped because she was naked and on top of him and crawling up his body like some kind of _animal_ and he was absolutely going to die.

She kissed his mouth lightly, just enough to tease, and trailed her mouth down his chest, leaving soft, wet, open-mouthed kisses on his skin. His breath caught in his throat as she went lower. Was she - was -

She flicked her fingers over his hipbones and he gasped, jerking uncontrollably into her light touch. "Kate - "

She didn't say anything, just reached into his trousers and closed her hand around him, and his body went rigid. He strained under her hands as she tugged his pants away, leaving him naked under her. His eyes flickered shut briefly, but then shot open he felt the sudden, heavy wetness as she took him into her mouth and his hand flew to rest on her head, a long string of curses escaping his lips.

Not that - that first time, when he'd woken up with her mouth around him, that was the closest to perfect the world had ever come, that hot, sucking vortex. But oh oh _oh_ if she didn't stop soon, this was going to end embarrassingly fast.

Mal finally tugged her hair and pulled her off of him. She looked up. Her face was flushed, her lips parted, her eyes glittering, and it took every ounce of self-control to stop himself from just lying back and letting her finish him off.

But no, no, not like that. Not - not -

\- their last night.

He finally took a deep breath and rolled her under him, catching her offguard as she stared up into his eyes. She looked - oh. Wait. He froze. That wasn't just lust, though there was plenty of that. It was -

" _Kate?"_

His heart stumbled in his chest. Her eyes. Her _eyes_. Shadows. Oh, Kate -

He kissed her and it was different now. It was tender. His heart beat strident, rough against his ribs as he slowly explored the shape of her warm mouth like it was the first time. She raked her fingers through his hair, sighing into his lips as he kissed the delicate column of her throat, the swell of her chest. He pressed his lips to the old scar between her breasts, brushing his tongue over it lightly, making her arch up into him with a whimper.

Her breathing was harsh as he kissed just below her navel, moving down slowly. Her thighs were tense under his fingers, her muscles taut and trembling, and as he slowly pushed her legs apart he saw her eyes flicker shut.

He sucked lightly on the smooth flat expanse of her abdomen, trailing his mouth over the soft hollow at the top of her hipbone, and gently slid two fingers between her legs and inside her.

She moaned, her fingers curling tight around the bars of her headboard. Mal had to press his arm down to hold her hips from bucking. He dipped his head, using his mouth to suck at her slowly as his fingers worked her from inside. Kate writhed under him, begging him to _please please please_ -

He rolled his tongue over her and curled his fingers up and she fell apart, crying out as she arched violently off her bed. He watched as her body shuddered through the aftershocks, finally coming to rest, limp and sweaty. Her skin was flushed a beautiful pink, her teeth digging brutally into her lower lip as her chest rose and fell. Wow. Just.

He crawled back up beside her and pressed his forehead to hers, breathing her in, cupping her cheek with a gentle hand. "Gorgeous."

She let out a soft, weak chuckle, leaning in to nuzzle his neck. "Pretty great yourself, flyboy."

"You okay?"

She hummed. "Yeah. Just. Give me a minute, 'kay?"

* * *

When he finally, _finally_ slid inside her, her lips parted on a soundless gasp, one hand fisting weakly in his hair. Mal groaned, aching in the hot, tight wet sheath of her, flexing around him like a fist. Had to go slow. Had to hang on.

He dropped his forehead to her shoulder and rocked against her slowly, a steady rhythm into the cradle of her hips. Her fingers dug into his back as she moved with him, her breathing getting shallow. But his body was coiled, wound up so far he couldn't do it, wasn't going to last. She needed to -

He reached for one of her thighs and tugged it up higher, settling himself into her body and pushing deeper inside her. The change of angle hit them both and he choked at the fresh hot tightness, his length pulsing in her. He thrust into her and her hips jerked into him roughly. She was clawing at his back, long, keening noises escaping her lips, and as he drove into her one last time she came, clenching around him hard with a hoarse cry. He spilled into her in hot spurts, long and drawn-out and utterly _spent_.

Mal collapsed onto her. His back stung from the scrape of her nails. She breathed slowly into his skin, her fingers tracing light patterns on the back of his neck.

"Oh," she finally murmured.

"Yeah." He rolled off, turning on his side to face her. Her eyes were shut, one arm thrown back over her forehead. He reached out and ran a hand up over the smooth, flat line of her stomach, watching the heave of her chest as she tried to even out her breathing.

"You're staring." Her eyes didn't open, but there was a smile tugging at her lips. "Creepy."

"Can't help it." He flattened his palm, splaying his fingers over her stomach. She was so slim, his hand so big. It dwarfed her. It had never struck him like this before. "Ain't my fault you're beautiful."

"You're getting sentimental," she murmured.

His stomach clenched. He didn't want to point out that it was his last chance.

He blinked that pang away, letting his hand drift over her hip instead. "You want me to man up?"

"Mmm." Her eyes fluttered open, her body shivering into his touch. "I think I could deal with that."

He caught her wrist, tugged, pulling her up onto his body. Her thighs bracketed his waist easily, bringing her pelvis up against him in a movement that made her bite her lip.

"Go ahead, Kate. Make me a man."

She leaned in and kissed him, a slow, sucking kiss that brought a stirring low in his groin. Her tongue teased his, swiping through his mouth in a move that was utterly dirty, especially when she was rolling her hips against him like that.

And then with no warning she was gone. Mal choked, his eyes opening abruptly. She was disappearing around the corner. "Uh. Kate? What - "

"Just lie back," she called. "I'll be there in a second."

Mal shifted uncomfortably, bunching one hand in her silky sheets. This was -

He was about to speak up when she appeared again in the doorway, her glorious naked body all lit up in the flickering candlelight. Her hair gleamed, her eyes bright, and in her hand - she was holding - something?

"Kate?"

"Relax."

"What's that?"

She bit her lip, crawling into bed beside him.

"Ice."


	18. Chapter 18

Mal woke up briefly not long before dawn. Pale fingers of light were just barely starting to spill through the curtains, setting the air a peaceful golden-grey.

He looked down at the warm, breathing bundle in his arms. Kate was still fast asleep. Her fist was curled on his chest, her hair all silky against his skin. She let out a soft noise, some meaningless sound, and turned her face into his chest, settling back down into deep sleep.

He brushed her hair back and let his hand linger, tracing the delicate lines of her face. Her eyelids fluttered briefly, but she didn't move.

He tried not to go back to sleep.

* * *

 _Captain_.

Mmmm. He sighed. Warm. Soft. Felt so good.

 _Captain_.

He could hear her whispering, teasing. Her breath floated warm over his skin like sunlight. Mal drifted slowly back to awareness, finally catching the soft lines of her body as she leaned over him.

"Wake up there, flyboy."

He cleared his throat, taking a deep breath. "Tryin' to sleep, Kate. Not awake yet."

"Oh, I think you are." There was a smile in her voice, and he caught his breath as her fingers tripped lower over his abs. "Your...little captain is, anyway."

She curled her fingers around him and he gasped, his hips arching up into her touch. _Oh_. Well. Definitely awake now. "Not so sure I like that word you just used -"

"Relax," she murmured, tracing her thumb over the tip of him. "We both know you have an extremely impressive - _command_."

She slid her tongue into his mouth, stroking against his at the same rate she squeezed him gently. The slow burn in his veins went white hot and he groaned into her lips, clutching at her wrist. So fast, so _fast_ , he was barely awake and he was already painfully hard.

"Mmm. You're insatiable, woman."

Kate licked at his lower lip, kissing the corner of his mouth. "Yeah. I am." She nuzzled his cheek. "I like you all scruffy. Makes you look like a renegade."

"Renegade, huh?" He liked that. So did she, apparently.

She kissed him again and leaned back, rolling off the bed. Mal groaned. "Oh, come _on_. Where are you going? I thought you wanted -"

"I do." She caught his hand, pulled him out of bed. He stumbled behind her obediently.

"Kate?"

"I want it in the shower."

Oh.

* * *

Hot water washed over his back as he buried himself inside her. She moaned, twisting her hips against him in a move that put black spots in the edges of his vision. He rocked her back against the wall, his fingers digging into the slippery wet skin of her legs as her heels dug into the back of his legs. It was all hazy hot steam and the tight perfect wetness of her body, and he thrust into her harder, sucking on her neck as she arched against him, pulling him in deeper. "Oh please oh _god_ don't stop don't _stop_ -"

Mal slid his hand over the small of her back and took a long breath, thrusting into her one last time with a deep groan. She split apart around him, her whole body seizing up in a spasm, fluttering wildly, so tight and hot around him that he spilled into her, his body jerking in pulsing release.

They stumbled back to her bed without drying themselves and collapsed, twined together, soaking her sheets with water. Mal watched her breathing deeply. She was looking out the window, watching the sun rising.

Daylight.

* * *

He finished dressing before she did. He sat on the bed, watching as she buttoned up her shirt and ran her fingers through her hair. His hands were firmly settled on his knees. No temptations. He had to leave. It signified no good to let himself keep pulling her back to bed when he knew they were going to be climbing out of it for good.

But -

No.

She stepped back into the bedroom, dressed, her hair curling around her face. Her lips were still swollen. She was unbearably beautiful, and for a second his chest was twisted with the powerful desire to sell his ship and find a farm and stay on Semper for some kind of always.

He cleared his throat. "We should, uh. Probably get going."

"Yeah." She came to sit beside him on the bed, their thighs just barely touching. She looked down at her hands in her lap, but he could see the flutter of her eyelashes. Was she - actually -

"Kate?" He stole a tentative hand over hers.

She shook her head. "It's stupid."

"It ain't stupid."

"I know you have to leave." She took a deep breath. It was shaky. "I know."

Mal ran his thumb over her hand. "I'm sorry."

She curled her fingers around his. "Yeah." Her voice was soft. "So am I."

He kissed her, slow and tender and almost innocent, because there weren't any words. Her mouth was so soft on his, and as he breathed her in, sitting there on her bed, he thought of all the things he couldn't say.

* * *

She called Montgomery, who said the rest of the crew was already back at the ship . Mal wasn't sure exactly what they were going to do. Until Kate produced a motorbike from a covered garage outside. He gaped as she swung a leg over the bike to perch easily on it, quirking her eyebrow at his obvious reaction. "What's wrong, Captain? Can't handle a woman riding something so powerful?"

He hastened to climb on behind her, managing not to flinch at the snug tightness of her body against his. She grabbed his arms around her waist, tucking herself more securely between his legs. "I'm going to assume you're enjoying this."

"That is correct," he assured her, sneaking his hand over the curve of her breast. "Hope that's not a problem."

"Figures you'd try to cop a last feel," she muttered, turning on the ignition , letting the engine roar to life. He started at the low rumble, tightening his arms around her waist.

"Hush, woman. Drive."

* * *

They pulled up beside the ship in the pleasant light of mid-morning. "Oy! Captain!" Wash came striding out of the cargo bay, waving. "Just got a message from Persephone. Job available. They're asking when we can get there."

"Thanks, Wash." Mal turned back to Kate. She was biting her lip, hands on her hips. Controlling herself.

"I guess you're a busy man."

"Yeah." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see several of his crew, and Beckett's two friends, watching them curiously. Not like anyone didn't know where he spent last night.

"You think you'll ever find yourself back out this way?" She was trying to play it breezy, but she couldn't quite meet his eyes. There was too much catch in her voice.

Mal cupped her cheek gently, turning her face up to his. The hell with anyone watching. They all knew anyway. "I want to. I like it here." More words were stuck in his chest. He wasn't good at this. Sentences were all jumbled, tangled together, threatening to claw their way into his mouth, things like _I'll miss you something fierce_ and _I wish I could stay_ and _I suspect I might love you_.

"It's a nice place."

"I - wish - " he shook his head - "but I ain't got a spot for you on my crew. And I know your home is here."

"It is." She traced her hand over his chest, his shoulder. "Besides. What would I do if you put me on your crew?"

He grinned. "Well, I could think of a few particular -"

"Other than _that_." But she smiled, rolling her eyes.

"Too bad." He swallowed a stupid, girly lump in his throat. "It could have been great."

Kate took a deep breath, cradled his face in her hands and kissed him soundly. Oh. She tasted sweet and warm and - and _sad_.

She nipped at his bottom lip softly before letting him go to whisper into his ear.

 _"I know_."

She took a step back, and the sudden new foot of distance between them was like an entire sky. And he knew, in a split second, that this was going to hurt something unbearable.

"We knew this would happen."

She wasn't right. Not really. He'd known it would end. But not that this would happen. Two weeks. Two weeks of her and now he couldn't bear to be not touching her. Two weeks and he was -

"You should go," she said quietly.

Right. Yeah. Zoe was leaning out of cargo bay, waving that they were ready. Everyone was waiting.

"You stay safe, you hear? Don't you go taking any more bullets for strange men."

She nodded. "I'll try."

"Right then." He hesitated before reaching out his hand slowly. She took it, her touch soft, her hand so small and slim in his. "I'm gonna miss you. And I don't mind saying it."

Kate took a deep breath, stealing a last quick kiss. She squeezed his hand once before pulling away, folding her arms.

He turned, gritting his teeth, and started walking back to his ship. There were so many questions. So many things he wanted to ask her. So many mysteries he wanted to solve.

"Mal."

Her voice was clear. He turned back. Her gaze was fixed on him, green eyes bright. He wanted to kiss her again.

"Come back someday."

He let out a shaky sigh. Oh.

"I will."

Someday.

_fin._

* * *

a/n: Thank you everyone for climbing aboard the good ship Mackett! You guys are positively _shiny_.


	19. Chapter 19

epilogue

one year later

* * *

 

Mal stared into his whiskey.

"Where do we go now?"

Wash. Shepherd Book. Too many good folks dead. Too much blood. Too much pain. He wanted done with it. He wanted gone. He didn't even know where. Just gone.

And Inara -

\- he swallowed. Inara gone too. Left without listening to their pleas to stay. Just today she'd sent a message. It was a short message. But she was sick. She was the kind of sick that wouldn't be getting better.

He'd read it and finally realized why she used to look at him that way. Like maybe she might feel things. But she couldn't let them get to her.

Inara. Wash. Shepherd Book. His breath knotted hard in his chest. He was hollow.

He and Zoe sat near the back of the bar; Simon and Kaylee were laughing out in the front. Good for them. Least some folks had found joy. Their latest client had left, pleased, and Mal's pockets were weighed down with payment. He felt heavy. Not just with coin.

He sighed. "We been quiet too long. Say something."

"What'd you have in mind?"

He huffed. "Now I gotta think up your words? Used to be you had no trouble finding 'em."

She fixed him with a cool look. "Used to be. Used to be a lot of things, Captain."

Used to not be graves of his friends on that world far away.

His throat got tight and he swallowed around it. "Where do we go next?"

"Seems to me that's a more captainly decision than I usually make," she said archly.

"I don't know." Nothing was right. Alliance was supposed to be dead, not crippled. He wasn't supposed to have a ship full of ghosts. _Serenity_ was supposed to be home. "I don't know where to go."

Zoe took a long drink and set her empty glass back down with a sigh. "When was the last time you were really happy, sir?"

Happy?

"I don't rightly know."

"Think about it." She stood, swiping her empty glass, turning to leave. "Wherever it was. Maybe that's the place to go."

Mal sighed, turning his glass absentmindedly. Last time he was happy. Last time he really felt at peace.

Maybe he did know. Maybe it wasn't a _where_.

Maybe it was a _who_.

* * *

It was a clear, starry night on Shadow. The prairie air was fresh, and under the moon, the long stretches of tended farmland gleamed silvery-green.

Jim Beckett sat reading beside a crackling fire. He had just turned a page when there was a knock at his door. He opened it cautiously to find -

"Katie."

"Hi, Dad." She smiled, clearly tired. "Sorry it's so late."

"Not a problem, sweetheart. I was waiting for you. How was the trip?"

"Long." She chuckled. "But not bad."

"Didn't realize you were bringing a friend," Jim ventured. He had a pretty decent idea who this might be, but he didn't want to overstep. "You going to introduce us?"

Kate shifted the sleeping baby in her arms.

"Dad, this is your granddaughter."

She cradled the infant's head, watching as the little girl yawned and blinked her sleepy eyes open, fixing them with a bright blue gaze.

Jim's breath caught as he looked at the baby girl, with her tiny little fingers reaching clumsily for Kate's. Perfect. Beautiful.

"What's her name?"

Kate smiled as the baby's fist curled around her thumb.

"Serena."


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Polly Lynn's fault. I swore I wasn't going to write this in the first place, and then I swore I wouldn't do anything with it. It may never have seen the light of day but for she bribed me with bunnehs. And meeting!fic.
> 
> Anyway, this follows the events of Stolen Sky.

Outside its few cities, Shadow was a world without light pollution. It was night of pure contrast. The darkness was ink, and the starlight was blazing.

It was deep nighttime by the time he found the farmhouse. Part of him thought maybe it wasn't wise, but Mal was beyond tired and determined and simply too far past stopping. He'd come this far.

Late as it was, a man answered the door. Tall, thin, grey-haired. A quiet dignity in him. Even the shape of his face gave Mal a pretty good idea who this was.

"Are you - uh - Mr. Beckett?"

"Jim Beckett. That's me. Who are you?"

"I'm Mal Reynolds. I'm - I'm a captain. Little ship. Firefly. I, uh - sorry if I woke you."

"Captain, huh?" Jim looked interested. "Thought I knew all the captains round these parts. What's she called?"

"Serenity."

Jim started a bit at that, his eyes flicking over Mal in a cool glance that held some kind of understanding in it. Mal got uneasy. He didn't like being on the not knowing side. Was it - Serenity Valley? This man wasn't a fed, was he?

"Serenity," the older man repeated slowly. "Serenity. Nice name."

Mal shoved his hands into his pockets and wondered if there was a way to ask what he'd been thinking all the way here. But Jim beat him to it. "Well. Not that I'm not delighted just to meet you, but is there something you're looking for, son?"

"Is - " Mal swallowed hard around the name he'd had to keep himself from saying for months now - "is Kate here?"

"She is." Jim nodded slightly. "Let me just go get her, Captain."

Mal shoved his hands into his pockets, shifting his weight uneasily as Jim stepped out of the room. This was a bad idea. What if she'd changed? What if she didn't want him back? Been more than a year. She might not be alone anymore. Her name may not even be Beckett now.

This was a bad idea. He should just -

He was half-ready to walk out when he heard Jim's footsteps stop. "Katie?" Mal heard a murmur, too low to make out. Then Jim again. "Got a visitor, Katie."

For all his quick panicked thought, Mal couldn't bring himself to do anything but stand there dumbly, waiting like some kind of fool, listening for the footsteps he still recognized.

And then there she was.

More beautiful than he'd remembered.

She looked softer, somehow - he couldn't place it, couldn't pin it down in detail but she looked warm and gentle, and the glow in her eyes as she saw him -

"Mal?"

"Kate." His throat was tight, all the stupid he'd been pushing back for so long crowding up now, and he had so many things he needed to say but they were all crowding their way into his mouth and all he could manage was, "Took so long to find you."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to disappear. I didn't know how to contact you."

He spent months thinking about her. Remembering the soft warmth of her skin, the rich flush of her lips, the bright gleam of her eyes in the dimly lit passenger's quarters. And he thought a thousand times about seeing her again. About reaching for her and pulling her back into his arms and whispering _I just want you_.

But now he was standing in front of her and he was tired and unsure and her father was right there and even though they were standing in the same room, Mal still couldn't shake the feeling that they were still lightyears apart.

"Katie?" Jim's voice was mild. At least he didn't seem defensive.

Kate half-turned. "Dad, this is Mal Reynolds. We did a - a job together. For Roy."

Jim had a look in his eye Mal didn't quite understand. "Is he - "

"Yeah. He is."

Mal blinked, looking back and forth between them, seeing some line of communication he wasn't catching. Uh. He was lost. "Am I missing something here?" He wanted to kiss her. Could he kiss her? Did she not want that?

She bit her lip and pulled his hand. "There's - something I have to tell you."

Mal didn't know what to think. There wasn't someone else, was there? - or was she meaning for - right _now?_ \- her father was watching, they couldn't -

He followed obediently anyway, through some dim hallway - this was a real nice house, all shiny wood and polished mirrors; he should have figured she came from money - and then through a door into a room just barely lit.

He stared at her for a long second - did she drag him into a bedroom? - but she said nothing. Just looked down. He followed her gaze to the corner of the room.

And there, asleep in a crib, was -

\- it was -

The breath went out of his body.

It couldn't be. Couldn't.

But only one reason she'd be showing him this.

Mal looked back up at Kate. She was watching him, her face guarded. Like she was waiting for him to speak.

It _couldn't be_.

"Kate - " he couldn't say it. Couldn't. It was too much to - "I - is - "

"Mal." Kate's voice was so soft, so quiet. "Her name is Serena."

Serena.

 _Serena_.

Ser-

"She's your daughter."

Mal stared down at the tiny little creature, and as if on cue, she opened her eyes. Blue eyes. Little girl had blue eyes, bright like cornflowers even in the dark room.

And she looked up at him and she _smiled_.

He couldn't breathe.

"Mal?"

"Can I - " he swallowed - "can I hold her?"

"Of course."

He almost regretted asking - what was he thinking, a _baby_ \- but Kate was reaching into the crib, and then suddenly she was putting this little person in his arms.

Mal froze, terrified, but Serena didn't seem to mind. She kicked a little foot out, bunching her small fists and babbling nonsense. He cradled her carefully against his chest; his hands dwarfed her, so big and rough against her silky smooth skin.

"She's so tiny." His throat closed up. How could she be so tiny? How could anything be so tiny and perfect?

She reached up with her little fists and caught ahold of his thumb, giggling, as she tugged clumsily. He brushed lightly over the soft, fine, silky strands of brown hair, earning a delighted coo as she nuzzled happily into his shirt.

He loved this tiny little thing so fierce it hurt in his chest.

" _Kate_." His throat was so horribly tight. He finally tore his eyes away from the baby girl, up to her -

\- her mother.

Kate was her _mother_.

She was watching him with a guarded look, her arms folded over her chest. She was biting her lip.

Of course.

Been over a year since last they saw each other. She'd got no reason to believe he'd stayed hers, that he hadn't run off and into someone else's bed.

"I - wasn't expecting this," he managed.

She let out a soft laugh. "Neither was I."

"She's so beautiful."

"She is," Kate murmured. "She really is."

He took in a long breath. "Kate. Kate, I - I got no right to just - walk back into your life like this. I know that."

"Mal -"

"I missed you." The words started spilling out. "I _missed_ you and Kate, I ain't - I ain't had peace since you. And - and it's - I had no _idea_ , but she's so tiny and perfect and I never thought I'd - "

His throat closed up and he had to stop, because he actually could not get air into his lungs and Kate was so beautiful and he was holding their _baby_. He looked down at Serena, her blue eyes filling his vision, her little face so soft and perfect and delicate that he wanted nothing more than to just stay and hold her forever and -

A gentle hand on his arm stopped him. Kate squeezed his bicep gently, her face bright. "She likes you."

He held his breath. Kate's hand stroked his arm, soft, a little shy.

"I want you to stay." She flicked her eyes up to his, all soft and longing, hope written over her face so lovely. "You should at least get to know her."

He had to swallow back the tightness in his throat because words like _forever_ and _always_ were bubbling up in his brain. "I don't know anything 'bout having a kid."

She smiled. She looked tired. Soft and tired and gorgeous.

"I don't either."

* * *

_one week later_

Sometime long past midnight, Kate rubbed her bleary eyes and padded down the hall to Sera's nursery. What was that noise?

She'd left the baby with the nurse tonight, but as she got closer, Kate paused. It wasn't Lanie's voice coming from the baby's room.

"Took me a long time to find you, little one. I didn't even know you happened."

Kate crept silently to the door and peeked in, her heart twisting in her chest. It was Mal. Sitting in the chair by the window, in the pool of moonbeam streaming through the gauzy curtains. He was cradling his little daughter against his chest, studying her with that wondering gaze he always had when he looked at her. Still. Every time.

"Your mother – " he sighed quietly. "I don't know, little girl. She _says_ she wants me to stay. And I – I'm done with the fighting." He paused. "I think – I think I want to learn you, little flower."

Serena let out a soft gurgling noise, the contented one she let out when she was sleepy. Kate watched Mal trace her nose, her ears, very carefully. Like he was discovering her all over again.

"Just tell your mother – tell her I do want to stay, okay?"

Kate slipped out as silently as she'd come in.

Back in her room, she curled up in bed, staring at the wall, covering her mouth. A smile turned up her cheeks in the darkness, and she didn't try to fight it.

He wanted to stay.


End file.
